Grimsby is not surprised by the magical island, but I can not say I am not slightly surprised. I have been through many, many portals, but the doorway portals like this one always confuse me. There are rules to every portal, and this kind of portal only has one: you have to be pure-hearted in your cause. Grimsby and I both make it through, but I do not feel very pure of heart looking at this huge green, tropical island that is probably bigger than Neverland. It is going to take all night to find whatever we are even looking for. This island probably has many dangers and we do not have any weapons.
"Do you know where this guy is we are looking for?" I ask Grimsby.
"At her house."
"Her?" I ask.
Grimsby nods. "She has a house at one side of the island on the beach. But I don't know which side it is on."
"Well, we have made it this far. Might as well spend more time looking for a house. Who is this person anyways? Is she like a witch or something?"
"Not a witch, she was condemned to live here all alone...alone, alone. And she helps people."
"Why was she condemned?" I ask Grimsby.
"It was something her father did." Grimsby explains.
"That's not fair. Stuck alone because of something she didn't even do? See, this is what happens when you have someone powerful. They just get a huge god complex of themself."
"Well, she WAS imprisoned by a god."
"Oh. Guess the god-complex thing just got a lot more serious. Well, let's find this girl then."
Grimsby and I decide to just stay on the beach and not try to go in the center of the island. We head to what I think is north, but it is hard to tell.
"How did you get here last time?" I ask Grimsby as we walk. Grimsby smiles, recalling the moment.
"I guess my life was going right for a little while."
It occurs to me that Grimsby has seemed so much less tortured and...insane, as we are on this island. This island is what he has been trying to get to since he lost his mind. And now he has been here again, proof that he is not crazy.
•••
"We can stop here," I say. Walking around the island has proved to be a little more troublesome than expected. Grimsby and I decide to spend the night right on the edge of the beach and continue walking tomorrow. I prepare a fire while Grimsby sits. Once the fire is blazing and it is well into the night, we fall asleep.
"Let's go," I say in the morning after Grimsby and I are awake.
We continue walking around the island. It occurs to me that there may be something more that needs to be done besides walking.
"Grimsby, are you sure if we keep walking we'll just find this girl?"
"Yes, we have to get there eventually."
"Maybe not. Neverland has magic on it that, when someone needs something more, it has a way of being a lot larger and harder to navigate. Maybe this land is the same. We could walk for days and still not find her."
"What do you suggest?" Grimsby asks.
"We need to try and contact this girl. You've seen her before, what does she do? Is there something she spends her time doing?"
Grimsby tilts his head upwards slightly, thinking.
"Gardening," he says after a silent moment.
"Okay...so we find a magical flower or something?"
"She uses flowers to heal. We would need some kind of special flower. She talks about them being in the center of the island. There's supposedly some kind of ultimate healing flower at the very center. But it is impossible," Grimsby emphasized 'impossible', "to get. That's why the gods put it there. She can always have something to do."
"I have a feeling this girl is more powerful than I assumed. But since it's obvious this land is like Neverland if not more specific, I guess we have no choice."
I say this because just from me and Grimsby pausing to talk, the beach had stretched longer. And not just a little bit. You can not even see the end anymore.
Grimsby and I go through a small opening of palm trees into woods. Within five minutes of walking, we can no longer see the beach or any sign of water.
"We have no weapons," I say as we continue trodding through the woods. "If there's some scary monster in here, there's nothing to protect ourselves with."
"We'll have to make some," Grimsby says. "You spoke of Neverland. If you've been there, I know you know how to fashion some weapons."
I nodded. "Unfortunately, I have a feeling we won't find something to make some kind of powerful now though. I can make spears. Quickly, and they'll last against non-magical enemies...maybe."
"Well, get on with it."
"Right. We'll need some kind of sturdy stick and a point- You've got to be kidding me."
On a rock, to Grimsby's left, lays two spears and a sword.
"We're getting this flower for someone," I say. "And I'm guessing it won't be much fun."
Love you guys.
Liz xx