Tent World

Chapter Eight--What Happened in the Forest

"Well, I hope you're happy," Cheryl snapped, waving a finger at her sister. The four children had been summarily ushered by Org from the tunnels and deposited at the edge of the forest. "And Johnny, you're no better. Are you out of your mind? We were at least safe with the cliff dwellers. But no, that wasn't good enough. You two had to make him mad. Now we're lost in a forest in a world that's not safe. Or friendly, I might add."

They watched as a dozen cliff dwellers disappeared among the rocks. Org looked back once, hesitated at the opening of the tunnel, and then without so much as a wave, he too disappeared.

"We could've stayed with them," Johnny admitted. "Maybe one day we'd have followed the vertical shafts to the top of the cliff. Then again, we could've died in those tunnels."

"Humph!" Cheryl said. She was beginning to wonder about her new friend. Maybe he was like a Sweet-Tart: good to look at but sour to the taste.

"We need to find the village," Wendy said. "But how?"

"You people aren't listening," Cheryl said. "From what has been said about this Messema person, it would be stupid to face her. We could get ourselves killed. We don't know where we are, we don't have weapons, and if we did, we wouldn't know how to use them. It's bad enough to be hiding in order to save our lives, but you, Wendy, have a delusion. Doctors medicate people who believe as you do. Am I the only rational person here? Who's Messema anyway? Maybe she's not all that bad. After all, we've only talked to her enemies."

"Well, we can't stay here," Johnny said. "Are you coming, Cheryl?"

"This isn't a good idea," Cheryl said.

"What would you suggest?" Johnny asked.

"I think we ought to go back to the cliff dwellers and ask the Luxor to take us back."

"You can if you like," Johnny said. "We want to go to the village."

As the others began walking down the ridge, Cheryl debated what she should do. If she went back, there was no guarantee the cliff dwellers would welcome her a second time. She certainly couldn't stay here. Reluctantly, she followed.

They followed a ridge where the brush with spines was less dense. As the afternoon turned to early evening, the sun formed a red ball on the horizon. Shadows had overtaken them by the time they had come to several large rocks.

"This'll do," Johnny said. "We can sit with our backs to the rocks and keep a small fire burning all night. The heat will reflect off of the rocks, warming us." From his pocket, he produced a Bic lighter.

The children soon had a fire snapping and enough wood stockpiled to last the night. Sitting against the rock, they felt safe and warm.

"Johnny, do you always carry a lighter?" Wendy asked as she watched sparks fly from the fire, glow briefly, and flicker out.

"I bought it as a birthday gift for my uncle," Johnny said.

"By the time our uncle gets it, it'll be well used," Roy observed.

"I'm hungry," Cheryl said.

"Try not to think about it," Johnny said. "Maybe we'll find some berries tomorrow."

"I wonder what wild animals are in this world?" Wendy asked.

"Now is not the time to think about it," Cheryl said, rubbing her arms.