Chapter Six
Journee sat in her bed looking at herself with her hair pulled back showing her earrings off clearly. Aniya’s words bounced around Journee’s head as she went back and forth with herself unable to make up her mind about keeping them in or taking them out for 6 days like she was asked. Knowing she could be of help Journee took one more look in her mirror before turning her lamp over and laying down ready to see her friends and find out what had been going on. Daesin and Aniya stepped out of Jacob’s tree house just as the sky seemed to open up as Journee’s body appeared at the top of the hill.
“What’s she doing here” Aniya asked clearly upset that Journee didn’t take her advice about taking her earrings out for a week. “Come on Aniya it was up to her, heck you can’t be upset with someone who only wants to help” Daesin said making his way across the treehouse bridges connecting all the homes. “Well it’s not safe” Aniya said defending herself as she started taking the short ride down the slide.
“Hi guys” Journee yelled as she watched them slide down to greet her. “Hey Journee” Daesin and Aniya said together. Everyone could clearly hear that Aniya was upset even though she tried her best to hide it. “Are you Okay Aniya?” Journee asked. Well I thought you would have taken my advice about your earrings but hey you’re here now so let’s just go” Aniya said as she led the way towards the magical trees. “So where are we going?” Journee asked. “Well Jacob just sent us to help out one of the blendables who’s been attacked by a vapor. “A WHAT?” Journee asked because she didn’t know what they were. “A vapor is something like the blendables but they only come out when we have an eclipse and they bully the blendables who can’t hide from them. They don’t blend in like the blendables but they can be right in front of you one minute and then all you see is a black cloud of smoke and they are gone” Daesin explained while shaking his head just as they reached Aniya. “Okay Aniya you guys be safe” The wise old tree said before sliding out of their way.
Journee spotted pairs of blue glowing eyes watching their every step as they made their way into the forest. “So is that them?” Journee asked pointing at the staring eyes. “Yes that’s them, they don’t do much but stare at us. They only pick on the blendables. If we flash the light over there they should vape away leaving a smoke cloud” Daesin said as he proved his point by flashing his light where the eyes once floated in the dark. “WOW” Journee said seeing the black clouds for the first time. “Where do they go?” “No one really knows, they just pop up wherever they want” Aniya said no longer upset.
“That’s kind of cool” Journee said wishing she could do that. “How are we going to find the hurt blendable if we can’t see them?” Journee asked. “It’s pretty easy because there unable to blend in when they are hurt” Daesin said moving on down the path. “According to Jacob we should almost be there” Aniya said as she pointed her flashlight up the path. “Hey did you guys hear that noise?” Journee asked as she listened for the strange noise again. “Yes, that sound means we are close to the blendable” Aniya said as she picked up her pace. Just then they heard the sad cry through the air again.
“Here we go” Daesin said running over to the fallen blendable who laid on his back on top of his once nest which now looked more like a bunch of straw and other forest objects which broke his fall. “One of the vapor’s cut on the branch my home rested on and once I laid down I just fell and hurt my arm.” The blendable cried out big tears. Journee didn’t want to see the blendable hurting even though they always messed with them. “Do you think you can make it until we can make it back with the sparkler?” Aniya asked the sad blendable. “I don’t want to be alone” the little guy started crying even harder. “Okay, well I guess we can carry him” Daesin said knowing the blendable would be very light and easy to carry. “Just watch his arm” Aniya warned as Daesin picked the blendable up. “Journee, can you grab my flashlight?” Daesin asked as he started the trip to the waterfalls with the blendable laying in his arms.
The group only made it a few feet before they began hearing the vapors which were upset because they wanted them to leave the blendable and not help him. Unable to fulfill that request the three friends made their way to the waterfalls. Ducking and dodging all the forest objects Journee finally heard the loud crashes of the water hitting the lake below. “Owe, it hurts so bad!” the blendable yelled as they made their way over the slippery logs and rocks. “Don’t worry little guy we are almost there” Aniya said as she jumped from slippery rocks and logs onto the old but dry bridge that crossed over to the waterfall. “How have you been Grace?” Aniya asked as they finally made it to the front of the waterfall. “I’ve been wonderful, thanks for asking. What can I do for you?” Grace asked as her eyes fell on the blendable laying in Daesin’s arms. “We have had our first attack this eclipse” Daesin answered laying the blendable down as he cried out in pain. “Well in that case let’s move this along. I will help your friend if you can answer me this. If you have 10 rocks but you drop 1 two times how many rocks didn’t touch the ground?” Grace asked. Thinking really hard Journee turned to Grace and taking another second to make sure she wouldn’t let the blendable down Journee replied, “Well if I have 10 rocks and I drop 1 rock two times I still have 9 rocks that never touched the ground” “Very good Journee” Grace said before her face grew smaller as she faded away. “Yeah, that was very good problem solving Journee” Aniya said patting her on the back just as Allexis the Sparkler flew from behind the waterfalls.
“Wow, you are so beautiful and shiny!” Journee said as Allexis landed right beside the crying blendable. “Don’t worry this will be easy and soon you will have no need to be sad” Allexis said as she tried to calm the scared blendable. She pulled her bag out and sprinkled her healing dust over the hurt arm of the blendable. “So how long will it take to fix the arm?” Journee asked but before any response came she saw the blendables arm start moving and heard the cracked voice of the blendable thanking them for their help.
Just like that he was gone and his happy laughing was all they had now to tell where he was going. “Well, thanks Allexis but just like him we must also get going” Aniya informed the shiny sparkler. As she turned to make her way back to the safety of the treehouse she heard “you should have never helped him” An angry voice yelled from inside the dark woods which brought everyone to a standstill. “What was that?” Journee asked as she once again made her way over the logs and rocks this time at a faster pace. “Well it sounds like an angry vapor” Daesin answered. Just as he stepped onto the bridge a cloud of dark smoke appeared in front of him then the bottom of the bridge gave from under him and dropped him into the fast moving river.
“Oh no” both Journee and Aniya yelled as they backed off the bridge and started running along the river trying to catch up with Daesin as he floated down the river. “What are we going to do” Journee yelled as she tried her best to not slip on the slippery river bank. “We have to catch up before he reached the waterfalls” Aniya yelled loudly because she was trying to be heard over the loud crashes of waterfalls. Journee was catching up to Aniya just as she heard Aniya scream and watched as she slipped on loose stones on the river bank sending her body into the cold water with Daesin.
Journee panicked a little before looking around with her flashlight for something that could help her and just as she was about to start running again her flashlight landed on a long tree branch that was propped up like a fishing pole in use. Not slowing down her pace Journee grabbed ahold of the branch and pulling with all her might as she ran by forcing it to pop out of the ground. With the waterfalls now in full sight Journee knew her chances to save her friends was running out so she pushed her legs as much as she could before reaching two firm tree trunks. Feeling as if this was her only chance Journee placed herself between the trunks edging the branch over the water just as Aniya and Daesin’s bodies floated up giving them both the chance to grab on and pull themselves out of the river. “Thank you
Journee” Daesin tried saying through the clicking noise of his teeth. “Yeah thanks a lot” a shivering Aniya added as she pulled herself to her feet. “I’m really glad you chose to come today Journee and I feel silly for ever getting mad” Aniya said with her head held low. “Hey, it’s ok guys, that’s what friends are for” Journee said just as she felt her body start changing ready to wake up. “I will see yall later” Journee yelled as her eyes shut only to open once again in her bed.
Sneak Peek of Journee’s Journey Book Two
Journee rushed downstairs overjoyed about her very first camping trip. “Mommy I’m ready!” Journee said as she walked into the living room. “Okay Journee, let me finish with Destinee then we can leave” Journee’s mom told her as she finished clicking Destinee’s car seat. “OK guys let’s get this show on the road” Journee’s dad said while walking back into the house after packing the car full of camping gear. “Come on Journee we have a long ride, and a lonely campsite awaits.”
After two hours on the road Journee’s energy was slowly slipping away as her eyes began to get heavy and her favorite songs no longer excited her. As sleepy clouds filled her mind causing her first yawn she closed her eyes for a nap. Aniya and Daesin stood on the hill waiting for Journee’s body to appear. “What are we going to do about the trolls and the ogres?” Daesin asked Aniya just as Journee appeared out of thin air right beside them. “Hey Journee” Aniya greeted her friend while putting their thoughts on hold for the time being. “Hey guys, what’s been up?” Journee asked. Well it’s been a slow day but now we have to go to the swamps because the trolls and the ogres are having problems over all the yellow backed fish” Aniya answered as she started making her way towards the forest. “What’s wrong with the yellow backed fish?” Journee asked as she followed behind them. “ Well, whenever there’s an eclipse all the fish leave the rivers and huddle together in the swamps and the ogres don’t love the idea of others on their land” Daesin told Journee just as they reached the forest. “Hello “The magical trees welcomed them. “How has your day been?” Aniya asked. “It’s been great we had lots of good conversation today, thanks for asking. What can we do for you?” Could you please give us a path to the swamps?” Aniya asked. “Yes Ma’am we sure can” the elder tree answered before sliding out of the way.
“So how are we going to show the ogres that it’s polite to share?” Journee asked as they made their way through the forest. “Well, I’m not sure but we have to do something because the trolls live off fish and they won’t make it without them” Daesin told Journee. “Greetings ladies and gentleman how do you do” they looked ahead to where the voice was coming from. “We are fine and how are you?” Aniya asked looking surprised because the blendable stood in the light from her flashlight letting them see him. “I’m absolutely Grand thanks to you guys and I’m very grateful” The blendable said before blending into the night. “That’s strange, he was polite to us” Journee said. “Yeah that doesn’t happen much, I guess showing himself is his way of saying thanks” Daesin said as they started their journey again. “So Journee, how is your camping trip going?” Aniya asked as they made their way to the swamps. “Well, right now we are still in the car on our way to the campground but my daddy says we’re going to do all kinds of fun stuff like start a campfire and go fishing on a boat plus we get to make s’mores” Journee said licking her lips because she was
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