The Journey to Northumberland and the Rise of the Undertoads

by Kenneth Mullinix

~Chapter 8~

  Spydos (Arachnide Trarantulos)

  Running hysterically for the better part of an hour out of the fire-bogs and deeper into Bramble Forest; Molly, Tessie and Louis at long last collapsed from exhaustion. Louis awkwardly crawled into the lower roots of another old twisted tree next to where Molly and Tessie were now hiding.

  "Where are we Louis? What have you gotten us into?" asked the very panic-stricken Molly.

  "Yeah Louis, you've done it again. We trusted you about that darned fairy circle...now look where we are? What is this place?"

  "It's not all my fault Molly, you got all giddy and forgot what I told you. Only nine times around the circle, only nine times! You went ten times then stepped or fell inside the circle I'm not really sure what happened. And you Tessie, you went in after her. I told you both not to go into the fairy circle, so this is not all my fault. I warned you both before the start of Walpurgis Night and the Widdershins dance began" exclaimed Louis as he hugged them both just as tightly as he could "I am so sorry, but we are all to blame in some way or another."

  "Now where are we Louis, really?"

  "Molly we are in the land called Northumberland, believe it or not, right underneath Centerville. We are in Bramble Forest on the outside of the Kingdom of Gwynedd. When the fairy circle opened, we were captured by an evil fairy inside of that fairy circle. I believe a Sleagh Maith Hairy fairy grabbed us all and pulled us down towards Northumberland then we slid down that wormhole. Somehow we got separated after that. I think that you two, with Chug and Short Stack were kidnapped while you were knocked out from the fall then taken to different areas of this land by T?ngarar Spadefoot. He's the ruler of this land. You don't want to know about him yet.

  Anyway somehow they did not find me at the bottom of the wormhole, or I was to be let go to travel by myself. I really do not know. All I do know is that you were all missing. I had to go find you and have been looking for you all for over three days at least. How lucky was I to find you now?

  I have not been able to locate Chug or Short Stack yet, but I have a good idea where they are. Now with you both reunited with me, we have to go find our two friends, free them and get back to the wormhole and find a way to get out of this lost world."

  "What a mess Louis. Next time you get another "Big Idea" keep me out of it...will ya?" asked Molly as she shook an index finger at Louis.

  "Yeah that goes for me as well Louis" added Tessie as she gave Louis a stern eye then gave Molly a big kiss on the cheek.

  "I have so many more questions for you Louis, but right now the most important things are what are next Louis and where could our missing friends have been taken to?"

  "Good questions Molly, but first one other thing that I forgot to tell you..."

  "What's that Louis?"

  "I have to kill a White Queen who lives in a dark tower in the city of Elphame."

  "You have to do what?" asked an astonished Tessie.

  "I know it just got worse. I am so sorry but you see this bug-eyed toad called T?ngarar Spadefoot, as I mentioned before, you know the ruler of this land, well he wants her dead to gain her powers then he can free his undertoads. I think that these are his children who have been held under the spell of this sinister queen. The undertoads will not fully grow yet. They are locked in childhood as tadpoles forever. At least this is what I think is happening. Well it gets even worse again, two things more."

  "It just gets better and better Louis, what other two things?" asked Molly.

  "The White Queen is a land draug, she's an after-walker. You see she is already dead, so I don't know how I'm going to kill something that is already dead. I need to bring her crown back to Spadefoot or her lifeless black heart. Oh, it is complicated. As for your other question now, I also believe that Chug is being held by Hydrarchos the Water Serpent at the base of Morpeth Mountain and Short Stack is being held by Morr?gan the Stone Troll somewhere close in that same mountain range."

  "Louis...a land draug's a what, an after-walker's, water serpents and stone trolls. What are we to do Louis? What is this awful place?" asked a horrified little Molly

  "What is going on here?" asked Tessie as she squeezed Molly's hand that much tighter.

  "Well I know two things for sure?"

  "What's that Louis...?" asked Molly.

  "No stone troll or land draug is eating my Short Stack and no water serpent is going to eat our Chug. We are going to go find them, free them, get that crown or tiara or whatever it is and do as Spadefoot asks, then we are getting out of here back to Centerville. Now are you two with me or not?" asked a now more determined and courageous Louis.

  "Of course I am with you Louis, we cannot leave our two friends out here to be eaten nor be held captives for the rest of their lives. What is your plan?" asked Molly.

  "Yeah, what is your plan Louis?" chimed in Tessie.

  "Well that's the problem I don't really have a plan. We are going have to play it by ear, but I do have some ideas. Now I just took care of that horrible witch, so I know we can fight back, and with both of you now on board to help I am sure we can beat this and get back home. We have to find the safety of a shelter tonight. We cannot sleep out in the forest, it is too dangerous. The things that go bump in the night actually do go bump in the night here in this world. You can attest to that Molly you said you heard the nasty sounds of animals and beast of this forest already just as I have. We have been fortunate to not have crossed paths with anything too large, or too vile, or too hungry, to be able to eat us just yet so let's count our blessings."

  "What do you suggest then Louis" asked Tessie as she began to look about the forest once more, "there are no other shelters out here except that witches hut?"

  "No Tessie I believe there are. I saw many felled trees by the side of the road as we ran here and some before that a ways back. I am betting there is a lumberjack's home or a traveler's flophouse somewhere close by. Forests always have seasonal shacks for hunting, you get the idea.

  We have to travel quickly down this road, making sure to go quietly, and I am sure we will come upon something soon. Just keep your eyes open and your wits about you. I am sure we are going to see or hear something not very pleasant, and mostly likely very dangerous so we have to keep moving. If we stay here we will surely be found" said Louis as he motioned for them start up again.

  The blue lights that illuminate this world had weakened even more during the nighttime. The nightly blue fogs began to surround and engulf them as they traveled far into the night and further into the forest, and closer towards Morpeth Mountain.

  "We have to keep on the path towards the Northumbria mountain range. I believe that is where we will find Morr?gan the Stone Troll, since stone trolls must live in caves and near stones."

  "Sound logical Louis. I have not seen any homes yet, and boy is I getting hungry again. We were tied up in that witches hut for I think three days. She only gave us a couple of bites of soup and bread. That witch was cooking that rabbit stew for a few days and then I think we were going to be on the menu as well, so it's kind of good that you showed up first Louis" said Molly as she chuckled a bit to calm her nerves and lighten the mood.

  "That's not too funny Molly. So you're saying you were looking forward to that Louis stew?" asked Louis as he as well began to laugh at the situation.

  "I don't know if you would have tasted very good or not. We are not out of this mess yet, so maybe I will still have a chance to see about that" understood Molly as she slapped Louis on the back in a friendly manner.

  "We'll we will just have to see about that, won't we, Louis stew, what a thought" assumed Louis "look over there Tessie, Molly, what's that?"

  "You appear to have been right Louis. It looks like a wooden cabin of some type. Maybe a hunter's hideaway, let's get off this road and out of this fog. It might be dangerous but we really have no choice" said Molly a
s she looked for proof from the others.

  "We have to go there Molly, we have to get out of this cold. Maybe there is food and water there and we can light a fire. Hopefully nobody of questionable morals lives there. Approach quietly and with caution, we don't want to make any more mistakes and to step into another witches den."

  "You are right Tessie" said Louis as he lead the way towards the cabin which was about fifty yards off of the road nestled in a small grass clearing.

  Creeping around the backside of the cabin, then spying into the window, all appeared to be in order. No living soul or dead soul for that matter could be seen, nothing looked amiss. After prying open the thick rear wooden door all three entered, quickly closing the heavy door behind them. Finding a candle and some matches on the kitchen table Louis lit the candle which lit up the one room cabin.

  "No witch's cauldron and no witches brew, and a reasonably priced room...free. I hope the bed is comfy and the sheets are clean. And about room service...?" asked Tessie and she smiled in relief that they were out of harm's way for night.

  "I don't think there is room service unless a few jumping rats come calling in the night."

  "Molly you know I hate jumping rats more than anything, that is not funny" said Louis as he gave her a stern look. He then began to rummage though the kitchen cabinets, looking for food.

  "Look dried venison and beef jerky. Let me look at that" asked Tessie as she moved Louis aside. This will work for tonight and it looks like enough food for a few days."

  "Hey out front on the porch there is a shallow well, so it looks like we have clean water to drink and the bed over there looks clean enough to sleep in. It looks like we will all be safe for a night. Louis can you light a fire in the chimney and I will draw up some water. Tessie can you find a pot and we can heat up some of the dried beef, maybe even make some broth with it?"

  Without anymore unneeded conversation the three children went about their assigned chores for the evening knowing that they would all be warm and out of harm's way for the time being, even if they were still lost inside of Bramble Forest.

  Dinner was served then a real bath was taken by each. Molly fluffed up the sheets and covers on the large bed found in one corner of the room. The firelight would keep the animals and beasts away for the night along with the thick padlocks tightly locked over the doors and windows. A well-deserved, good night's sleep was had by all for the first time, in what seemed like a long time, this evening.