8
– Bear Good Fruit
It was a nice day for a walk through the forest, though this no less changed the seriousness of their mission.
Andrew, Eve, Matt and Monica were walking through the forest, and were on their way to the Impenetrable Cavern. The idea was simple: search the wreckage of Queen Oizys’
destroyed spaceship and find her communicator, so that Eve could send out a distress signal and she could go back to her home planet.
Although they would miss Eve, they were sure Eve had many friends and family members who were worried sick about her, wondering where she had gone.
And so, they journeyed onwards through the forest, though Matt was getting quite bored.
“Are we there yet?” Matt asked.
“No.” said Andrew.
“Are we there yet?” Matt asked.
“No.” said Andrew.
“Are we there yet?” Matt asked.
“For the hundredth time, Matt, no! We have not reached the Impenetrable Cavern yet.” Andrew said.
“Well I’m sorry, Andrew, I just find all this trekking through the forest to be awfully boring!” Matt said.
“You’re welcome to head back to hang out with Jack and Julia back at the village.” Andrew said.
“No way, that’s boring too.” Said Matt, carelessly tearing a tree branch off and tossing it aside.
“So everything in the world is boring then, is it, Matt?” Andrew asked.
“Pretty much, yeah.” Said Matt.
“I can hardly wait to get another taste of the precious Abel Berry. It’s such a beautiful plant. One day, when I’m rescued, I’ll take you to my home planet of Hesea and show you gardens of Abel Berries stretching out as far as the eye can see. They look like bright red rubies, shining brightly across their long and elegant vines, such beauty.” Eve said.
Monica suddenly gave a squeal.
“Is something wrong?” Matt asked.
“I thought I heard a noise, like a wolf howling” Monica said.
“Nonsense, there aren’t any wolves around here.5” Andrew said, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth, they all heard very loud howls coming in from the distance. They sounded just like a wolves’ howl.
5 This is true.
“Ok, so what’s that sound?” Matt asked. The howling grew louder. “Seriously, guys, what’s with this place?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5 years earlier~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monica lied down on her raggedy, itchy cold bed, no light but the moonlight coming in through the window. She clutched her teddy-bear close to her chest. It had red-and-white polka dots on its tummy.
Suddenly, Monica heard howling nearby. She was very frightened, and hid under the covers. The howling grew louder and louder. She peeked through a crack in the blanket and she saw three shadowy figures at her window, howling away like mad.
The figures then began laughing and they came closer. It was three of her classmates; Suzie, Sam and Lian.
“Did you see how scared she was??” Sam said.
“Haw haw, what a loser!” Lian laughed.
“Go away, you jerks!” Monica exclaimed, standing bolt upright in bed now.
“Hey Monica, we left you a present in the stable!” Suzie said with a laugh, and then the three classmates ran off, as Monica stormed out the door and ran to the stable.
There she found Chester the Pony with a sack over his head.
They’d also poured over his water trough all over the stable.
“You jerks!” Monica yelled down the street. “I’ll get you for this!”
The three classmates turned around, now far from the stable and shook their heads.
“Can you believe her?” Sam said.
“She cares more about some dumb pony than she cares about people!” Suzie said, and then the three of them had a hearty laugh as they went back to their respective homes.
“Hmph,” Monica muttered to herself, “Why would I want to be friends with people? People are cruel and unfair.”
Chester the Pony whinnied in response.
Monica then went back to her bed and slept until the crack of dawn. She walked to School and was pleased by Diana Barrett’s announcement.
“Remember, class, tomorrow we will be going on a field trip through the forest to learn more about the natural world.” Miss Barrett announced.
This cheered Monica up, even as Suzie and Lian lobbed spit-balls at the back of her head.
Later, the school-day had ended and Monica was walking home with Andrew and Jack.
“Um, do you guys want to hang out?” Monica asked.
“Sorry, Jack and I have to chop up all the wood for winter.
Maybe another time.” Andrew said.
“You always say that.” Monica said, and walked away from her cousins. She walked past some of the girls in her class.
“So, I’m thinking: big party tonight at my place, 7PM. You guys in?” Asked Libby.
“Should we invite Monica?” Goldie asked.
“Nah, she doesn’t like being around other people!!” Suzie said with a snicker. She giggled and gave Monica a nasty smirk.
Libby and Goldie reluctantly joined in with her laughter.
Monica wandered back to her chilly farmhouse. It was quite empty.
“Dad? Daaad?” Monica cried into the abyss.
Monica found a note pinned to the fridge. It said, ‘working late tonight. Will be back tomorrow. – Dad’.
Monica looked in the fridge and pantry. Both the fridge and the pantry were empty, save for some cobwebs. Hopefully her Dad would bring some more food tomorrow morning.
She looked down at the wood plank floor, forlorn.
“At least I have the field trip tomorrow to look forward to.” She said. She crossed her arms.
“Plants and animals are my real friends. I don’t even want human friends. I don’t want…” Monica trailed off, and then she found herself falling to her knees, crying softly on the cold wooden floor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Present~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Be careful around this area, you guys!” Monica said. “You could trigger a land-slide if you’re too loud!”
The four of them were currently walking carefully along a cliff edge.
“What was that?” Matt asked, “I can’t hear you!”
“A LAND-SLIDE!” Monica shouted.
“WHAT?” Matt shouted.
“Knock it off, Matt. We know you’re doing it on purpose”
Andrew said.
“DID YOU SAY SOMETHING ANDREW?” Matt shouted.
Andrew then proceeded to stuff a sock in Matt’s mouth.
“Put a sock in it.” Andrew said.
Matt spat out the smelly old gym sock.
“Where’d that sock even come from?” Matt asked.
“That is a secret I will carry to my grave” Andrew replied.
Eve looked behind her shoulder impatiently.
“We should pick up the pace. It’s best for all of us if we reach the Impenetrable Cavern before nightfall; the path will be clearer that way.” Eve said.
“You heard the lady!” Andrew exclaimed, “Hurry it up!”
“This is so stupid. How’d I get roped into coming along to this stupid field trip? Stupid.” Matt said.
Suddenly, Matt’s leg slipped and he was heading for the edge of the path and towards the jagged rocks below. Monica shouted, “Matt! Look out!” and then she grabbed and caught Matt’s hand, and pulled him back up from what could have been his doom.
“Wow, thanks Monica! You saved my life!” Matt said.
“It’s a good thing we have somebody so caring and
responsible like you with us, Monica.” Eve said.
Monica smiled, embarrassed, as they continued along their journey.
Matt began huffing and puffing.
“I sure wish you had some of those Abel Berries on you right now, Eve, and then you could just teleport us all to the Impenetrable Cavern!” Matt said through several deep gasps.
“Nonsense,” Andrew said, “this is good exercise!”
“You obviously need it!” Matt said with a wry smile.
“Was that a crack about my weight?” Andrew asked.
“I refuse to answer that question for fear of incriminating myself!” Matt replied, his smile growing wider.
“Oh, brother…” Andrew said, rolling his eyes and sighing.
“Speaking of your brother, I wish he was here right now. He could provide some much-needed comic relief!” Matt
complained.
“I think you’re doing a perfectly bang-up job of it yourself!”
Andrew said sarcastically.
“Great, the big fat guy thinks I’m good at comedy.” Matt said.
Andrew’s expression suddenly turned serious as he looked up at the sky and back at his map.
“Hm, it looks like it’s getting darker sooner than I thought it would. We may need to settle down and make a campfire.”
Andrew said. Matt nodded.
“Good idea. I’m getting pretty hungry, and I’m sick of walking around anyway,” Matt said, “Walking around some stupid forest; who could enjoy that??”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5 years earlier~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a wonderful day and Mrs. Barrett had gathered all her students outside the Nevermore Forest, which was just outside Trouble Valley’s boundaries.
Monica looked around in awe, eager to explore the forest and its immense beauty.
She was sure that within there would be many plants and creatures for her to find, and she could make friends with all the little adorable woodland critters.
Mrs. Barrett decided she would pair everyone off into groups of two or three, so nobody would get lost. She paired Suzie and Monica together.
Monica did not approve of this at all; she was sure that Suzie would do little more than ruin her day.
“Um, can I go with somebody else?” Monica asked.
“No,” said Mrs. Barrett. And then she left the children to their own devices.
So now, Monica and Suzie were walking along through the forest with only each other for company.
“Ugh, I can’t believe I’m stuck in the middle of the forest with you!” Suzie said.
“Believe me, the feeling’s mutual.” Monica said.
“Well, if you want to spend all your time with a bunch of stupid plants, then I won’t keep you!” Suzie said, and then she ran off, probably to meet back up with her friends Sam and Lian.
Monica didn’t mind this part, as she would like to be at least ten miles away from Suzie at all times if possible. But what she did mind was that Suzie had left her in the middle of nowhere, with no idea of how to get back to the others. This was scarcely odd though, since Monica knew that Suzie hated Monica’s guts.
Monica had absolutely no idea where she was. She ran off through the forest at complete random.
She ran so fast she tripped on a rock and fell down, bruising her knees.
Monica rose to her feet unsteadily, her whole body aching. In front of her, she could see the Impenetrable Cavern. The front doors of the Cavern, which would later be appropriated by Queen Oizys and Blake, were locked tightly. She couldn’t budge them loose an inch. Now she was curious.
She ran around and around to the other side of the
Impenetrable Cavern, and found another entrance; there was a steel-plated futuristic door that had been knocked off its hinges lying to the side.
She walked into the cavern and found it quite barren, aside from some bits of scrap metal lying on the ground. But then, she noticed in the centre of this particular room of the cavern, there was a single solitary vine, and on the end of it was one single solitary Abel Berry; although at the time she didn’t know it was an Abel Berry; and it shined most beautifully and brightly.
Monica approached this delicate flower slowly, in wonder and awe. She went up close to the berry, getting down on her hands and knees. The berry bled a drop on Monica’s knee.
The bruise healed almost instantly. Monica was amazed at the berry’s powers.
Then, delicately, she picked up the plant and snuck it into her pocket.
Now more confident, she rose up and proceeded to head back to the others.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Barrett was back with all the other students at the front of the Nevermore Forest.
“Has anyone seen Monica?” Mrs. Barrett asked her class.
“Oh, she probably just got stuck in a ditch. I say we leave her there!” Suzie said carelessly. Sam and Lian laughed at the thought of Monica being left in the middle of the forest all alone with no food or shelter.
But then, much to the disappointment of Suzie, Sam, and Lian, out of the bushes came Monica.
“I’m right here!” Monica said.
“Oh, Monica, there you are! We were getting worried. It’s starting to get dark. You don’t want to be walking around this forest after dark!” Mrs. Barrett said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Present~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monica, Eve, Andrew and Matt continued to walk through Nevermore Forest as everything grew much darker. Matt was being particularly annoying.
“Marco,” Said Matt, “Marco. Marco. Andrew, this is the part where you’re meant to say “Polo”
Andrew stopped walking as did his friends behind him.
“We’ll set up camp here,” Andrew said, “It’s as good a place as any, and it’s dry and flat. Any objections?”
“No, it sounds fine to me,” said Monica.
“No worries here. So what’s on the menu?” Matt asked.
“Well, we’ve got two choices,” said Andrew, “boiled carrots over a campfire or we can starve.”
“If it’s all the same to you, I’ll take the carrots.” Matt said.
“Smart guy,” said Andrew, “alright, let’s start a fire… Monica, you can go get the water. I’ll get the twigs. Matt, you chop up the carrots.”
Matt grumbled but did as he was told, wandering off a bit to a flat-looking rock where he could cut up the carrots with the knife that Andrew had supplied.
Monica walked off downhill to a nearby stream to fetch the water out of a metal bucket.
“You know I could just go out ahead of you guys, fetch the communicator and come back.” Eve said.
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea, Eve. This place can be dangerous,” Andrew said.
“So instead, like usual, I just stand around doing nothing.” Eve lamented.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to leave you out, it’s just,” Andrew began.
“It’s nothing, really. You respect your own kind more than other species.
It’s strange to me that humans see themselves as being the superior species, even though you wouldn’t last a week without plants and animals to eat, others to keep you company, others to fear. Humans don’t seem to understand how valuable the plants and animals they share this world around them are.
That’s why I must return home as soon as possible. If humans ever learnt of my existence, I’d suffer so much. It wouldn’t matter what I offered them, they’d only see me as not being like them and therefore inferior.” Eve said.
“But we’re humans, and we’d never do anything to hurt you,”
Andrew said, “besides, humans aren’t anything special.”
“If all humans thought like you, then you really would be something special,” Eve said.
Meanwhile, Monica came down to a small stream and began to gather water, but then she heard a howl. She looked up with a gasp, and then ran back to camp.
“Guys! Guys! There’s something scary in the forest!” Monica exclaimed.
“Just relax, Monica. What did you see?” Andrew asked.
“I didn’t see anything; I just heard howling,” Monica admitted.
“Howling? Like a wolf?” Matt asked.
“That’s impossible; there are no wolves around here.” Andrew said.
Just then, a loud, long howl rang along the valleys.
“Well, SOMETHING is howling…” Matt said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5 Years Earlier~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Over the next few weeks, Monica set up a place for the Abel Berry in the back of her greenhouse, taking good care of it, watching it grow over the weeks.
One morning, she was talking to Mrs. Barrett.
“Um, Mrs. Barrett?” Monica asked.
“What is it, Monica?” Mrs. Barrett asked.
“I was just wondering if I could show off my plant at the Harvest Fair…” Monica mumbled.
“Well of course you can, Monica,” Mrs. Barrett said, “What is it?”
Monica giggled. “It’s a surprise!” she said.
“Well then, I’m sure it’ll be something pretty special!” Mrs.
Barrett said.
Suzie, Lian and Sam heard Monica talking to Mrs. Barrett, and so decided to corner her at the lunch table at lunchtime.
“Hey, Monica, we heard you have some kind of special plant!”
Suzie said.
“Can we see it?” Sam asked.
“Yeah, we’re sorry we were mean before!” Lian said.
“You are? Well ok, I guess I’ll take you there right after school!” Monica said.
Monica was very happy, because it seemed like she finally had some actual friends for once.
And so, most trustingly, she took Suzie, Lian and Sam to her glasshouse and showed them all the great, glowing abel berries she had grown.
“It’s the most beautiful living thing I’ve ever seen,” Monica said which made Suzie frown, though Monica didn’t see this.
“Well, thanks for showing us this! You’re sure to be a shoe-in to win tomorrow’s Harvest Fair!” Suzie said and her friends and she began to leave.
“But I haven’t told you the best part yet,” Monica began, but they were already gone.
“Hm. Well, I guess I’d better go and get a good night’s sleep for tomorrow’s big day!” Monica said, and then went to bed.
Monica lay down in her bed, which, while still quite rough, felt much comfier than it had felt for ages.
She slept for a while.
Monica suddenly woke up with a jolt! Outside, she could see that the Greenhouse was on fire. Suzie, Lian and Sam were hurling petrol bombs at the greenhouse, as Suzie bashed up the Abel Berries with a Baseball Bat.
“Stop! What are you doing??!?!” Monica cried as she ran out to them.
“I’ve never seen you so worked up before!” Sam said.
“He’s right; you don’t care about other people at all, do you?
You just care about your stupid plants!” Suzie said.
“Stop this!” Monica cried again, and then Suzie grabbed Monica by the scuff of her shirt and slammed her against the glass wall, breaking it. Monica fell to the ground, crying as glass fell around her.
“Stupid bitch! Why do you hate humans so much, huh???”
Suzie asked as she hurled another petrol bomb and blew up some more Abel Berries.
“Please stop…please stop!” Monica said between heaving sobs.
“Make her eat it!” Suzie exclaimed, and before she could react, Sam and Lian forcefully jammed the Abel Berries down Monica’s throat, as she cried and choked.
“Can’t you see you’re just as pathetic and weak as this stupid plant, Monica? You need to be with someone strong!” Suzie said.
All around her, the juice of the Abel berries dripped like blood as the remaining plants were either bashed to death or burnt to a crisp.
“You’re the ones…” Monica muttered.
“What?” Suzie asked. Monica rose up her head, tears in her eyes, as red liquid dripped from her fore brow; she couldn’t tell if it was her own blood or Abel Berry juice, but she no longer cared. She glared angrily at Suzie.
“You’re the weak ones. YOU’RE THE ONES WHO ARE
WEAK!” Monica cried pointing at Suzie, and then a great white flash erupted from her finger and filled the entire room.
When Monica could finally open her eyes again, Suzie, Sam and Lian were gone, like they’d been wiped off the face of the Earth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Present~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The howling continued, until suddenly, out of the shadows, Suzie, Sam and Lian appeared.
The three looked over the gang for a short time.
Then, suddenly, Suzie announced “Tie them up!” and then Sam and Lian tied up Andrew, Matt, Monica and Eve, and dragged them off.
“Where are you taking us?” Matt asked.
“Shutup!” Lian exclaimed.
“This is incredible… everyone thought you guys were dead!
You went missing 5 years ago. But you were hiding in the Nevermore Forest this whole time? Why?” Andrew asked.
“Because we must protect it!” Suzie said, as they came up and approached the Impenetrable Cavern, “The Spirit of the Valley told us that the Impenetrable Cavern and its secrets must be protected at all costs.”
“The Spirit of the Valley?” Matt asked.
“Shutup!” Lian replied.
“But hang on, how did you ‘protect it’? It was overtaken by Queen Oizys a few weeks ago, before we defeated her.”
Andrew said.
“The Spirit of the Valley told us that it was necessary and that we must not interfere. Queen Oizys is inconsequential to us now she’s gone and never learnt of the secret behind the Impenetrable Cavern.” Suzie explained.
“So what is the secret?” Andrew asked.
“Surely you’ve noticed by now that Trouble Valley is no ordinary village, and there is a reason for it. There is a reason all these strange things happen in Trouble Valley and nowhere else.” Suzie said.
“And what’s the reason?” Andrew asked.
“We cannot tell you, the Spirit of the Valley forbids it.” Suzie explained.
“Well, that’s just splendiferous!” Matt said snidely.
“Now you must tell us why you’re here, or we’ll have to destroy you.” Suzie said.
“We came to retrieve Queen Oizys’ communicator from her broken-down spaceship, so I can use it to send a distress signal to get home, as I am running low on Abel Berries.” Eve explained.
“What is an Abel Berry?” Sam asked.
“It’s a small, red, diamond-shaped fruit,” Eve said.
“Let us show you something,” Suzie said.
Suzie took them all to a back door.
“The Impenetrable Cavern has a back-entrance? That’s stupid!” Matt said.
“It’s not that stupid; the back entrance to the Wolf and the Craftsman Inn goes to my house,” Andrew said.
Suzie opened the back entrance to the Impenetrable Cavern.
And there before them was the side of Abel Berries from wall to wall.
“Here, you can find enough energy to let you live on Earth for at least a year,” Suzie said.
“Oh, my goodness!” Eve exclaimed, “This is all well and good, but I still want to return to my home planet.”
“Sam! Go and search the wrecked spaceship for a
communicator,” Suzie said.
Sam then ran off to do this.
This odd group of folks stood in silence for a short while, and then Andrew began to talk.
“We can guide you guys back to Trouble Valley. Some of your family still lives there.” Andrew offered.
“We no longer wish to return,” said Suzie, “this Cavern is too important. Lian, you can untie them now.”
Lian then proceeded to untie Andrew, Monica, Matt and Eve.
Eve went off immediately to collect Abel Berries.
“Wow, you know, I wouldn’t mind some super-powers,” Matt said, “maybe I should try some Abel Berries!”
Eve looked shocked.
“Most humans find taking Abel Berries to be quite fatal, and with the few that can manage to digest it, it often can produce extremely unpredictable results,” Eve explained.
Monica blushed and cast her head downwards.
“Why are there Abel Berries here anyway? I thought they only grew on Hesea,” Matt said.
“Matt, just don’t ask questions, it will help you a lot,” Eve said.
“I have the communicator,” Sam announced, “now you can leave.”
“Yes, that is right, you must now leave and never return,”
Suzie said.
“I promise we never will,” Eve said.
And so, using the strength of the newly-found Abel Berries, Eve proceeded to teleport herself and her friends back to the village of Trouble Valley.
Andrew, Monica, Matt and Eve then proceeded to hurry over to the Kingston Mansion. It must have been at least midnight by their estimate.
Jack and Julia had prepared for them all a fine feast of chocolate desserts, and they enjoyed their meal as Matt went outside to look up at the stars.
Tonight the stars had formed a pattern, reading REVELATION
7.14. This confused Matt.
Meanwhile, Eve walked away to a private spot, and activated the Distress Beacon. The signal was launched into the deep recesses of Outer Space.