The kids found themselves at the other ladder that they had yet to climb. The one east of the stump. As they went up the ladder, Hero stopped them.
“Man… I know there’s a reason why we never climbed this ladder, but I can’t put my finger on it. It’s on the tip of my tongue…” He brushed it off. “Oh well… here goes nothing!”
“I don’t like the sound of that…” Aubrey said.
“I do!” Kel laughed, and the four of them ascended the ladder.
Soon they were so high up above the ground that they were in the purple skies that Omori had once gazed at with Shawn and Ren. They ascended higher and higher, but then the noise of something falling struck them.
“W-wait… hold up guys!” Kel said. “Shoot… where is he? I just had him.”
Hero looked back at Kel. “Where is who?”
“Hector, my pet rock!” Kel scrounged through his pants. “I swear, I just had him in my pocket.” He shut his eyes and screamed to the heavens. “Noooooooooo! Hectooooooooooor!” Tears came down from his eyes. “He must have fallen out of my pocket when I wasn’t paying attention…” A deep breath from Kel. “I’m sorry, Hector. I should’ve been more careful.”
“What’s the big deal?” Aubrey asked. “It’s just a rock, right?”
“Don’t you dare say that!” Kel barked back. “He’s not just a rock… he’s family!”
“Don’t worry! I’m sure he’ll turn up, Kel.” Hero sighed. “Probably…”
“I sure hope so…” Kel sniffled again. “Wait for me, Hector! I’m coming… I promise…”
After this exchange, the three of them continued to climb the ladder, and eventually, they came through a large, cavernous tunnel.
Kel jumped off the top of the ladder before anyone else could. “First!”
Omori was second. He looked around at their new surroundings: they were on top of an area made of grey stone, with huge purple and green leaves surrounding them. There were some cattails that cropped up and out of them, and two obvious ways to go forward: one that was, well, forward and one to the left of them.
Aubrey climbed up to the top of the ladder wordlessly, but Hero came last, panting as he arrived at the top.
“The ladder…” Hero huffed. “It just… never ends…”
Kel laughed and pulled out the butt certificate, which he had swiped from Aubrey before and attached to a pole, and planted it in the ground on the moon. “That’s one small step for Kel… and one large step for Kelkind!”
Aubrey turned around and pouted. “That’s not how it goes!”
“You don’t get to decide how it goes! You weren’t here first!” Kel smiled.
“Wait a minute…” Aubrey jumped in the air. “Is that my butt certificate? Take that thing down right now!” Her eyes narrowed. “What if somebody sees it?”
Kel shook his head. “No way! Look at this thing fluttering in the wind.” A tear came to his eye. “So majestic… so beautiful…”
“Hero! Do something!” Aubrey snapped.
Hero huffed and puffed. “One… sec… just… catching my breath…” After a few more breaths, he held up his finger. “Actually… give me a minute…”
Aubrey rolled her eyes. “Nevermind…”
Once Hero had caught his breath, the four of them convened on where to go next.
