A Key To Another World

Chapter eighteen

The sun was high in the sky, casting its powerful light on the forests below to nourish the plants that needed it to survive. Birds chirped happily and flew around in groups, hunting for smaller animals. In the distance, someone could be heard coughing, and the cough echoed through the forest. Zooming in closer, Michael was there on his knees, gasping for air and coughing up slime that blocked access to his lungs.

Connor: "You idiot! I told you before NOT to eat those orange berries! They're poisoned!"

Michael: "I-I forgot."

Michael struggled to give an appropriate response. His voice sounded rough because of the slime clogging his throat. With another forceful cough, he tried to get rid of the slime in his throat, but to no avail. Zoe, worried to death, knelt in front of him and tried everything she could do to make him feel better, while Connor just stood there, not knowing what to do.

Zoe: "We need to get the poisoned berries out of him. If they stay in him much longer, the poisoning will spread and then there will be nothing we can do to cure him."

Michael's stomach began to hurt so badly that he had to close his eyes to suppress the pain a little.

Michael: "I d-don't feel very good. I think I'm a-about to..."

Another strong cough escaped him as he could no longer suppress the urge to do so. As he coughed, a little bit of blood flew out of his mouth and onto the grass below. That was all that caused Zoe to snap when she saw that his lover was hurt. She stood up and forcefully pulled him up, causing him to moan in pain. Next she wrapped her arms around his stomach from behind and squeezed as hard as she could. Michael could do nothing but gag as the pain paralyzed him.

Zoe: "Come on! Get out of him!!!"

With each squeeze Zoe applied, it became tighter until everything in Michael's stomach shot out of his mouth, forming a messy brown and orange fountain mixed with the things he had eaten earlier and the poisoned berries.

Connor: "Gross..."

Michael sank back to his knees and took a deep breath after coughing a few more times.

Zoe: "Are you feeling better now?"

Michael: "Yeah... Thanks to you, Zoe. You're a lifesaver."

Michael wiped the remaining vomit from his face and lowered himself to the grass.

Connor: "Wonderful! Now that you're feeling better, we can continue our journey to the mighty tree!"

Michael: "Please, just ten minutes. I want to stay on the ground and rest."

Connor: "Na ah."

Connor glanced at the map leading to the mighty tree and selected the direction that led to it.

Connor: "This is the way. Follow my lead."

Zoe grabbed Michael by the hand and pulled him along.

I just want to sleep...

As the three friends traveled, they crossed many rivers and climbed many rocks while talking and joking with each other. On some occasions, they took small breaks and ate the food they had collected along the way. They also came across beautiful landscapes, so Michael had to take some photos of them with the three of them also smiling pricelessly. It reminded him of second grade in school when his class went on a field trip to the woods. It was the time he enjoyed the most, exploring new places with his friends. But the good time had to end soon, because a high mountain blocked their way, and there was no way to climb it, because it was too high. The only way to overcome the mountain was to enter the cave that led through it.