Emerald (The Protector) - undergoing editing

Chapter 6

After a double serving of the yummy pancakes, Sarah and Emerald set out. Sarah still didn't know where they were going, instinctively she trusted her new friend and decided not to ask too many questions. The sun was just coming up, its flickering light through the trees giving them more than enough light to see by. The track they were following seemed to go on forever.  As they got to the top of a steep rise, Em stopped and pointed, "If you look really hard you can just make out the spires of the church in the distance."

Sarah screwed up her eyes and thought she could see something glinting through the trees.

"What is that place? "Sarah asked pointing to a valley with tall trees that had been shaped to fine points.

"That place is known as Pointed Valley."

Sarah raised her eyebrows. "Yeah, I know, I know stupid name really – and no I didn't name it, it was probably called something else a long time ago, but as far back as I can remember it has always been referred to as Pointed Valley. Cause of the trees and a few other things which you will see when we get closer." Emerald smiled to herself "It is a very beautiful place and the people who live there are just wonderful."

"We are going there then?"

"Oh yes, we must pass through the town to reach our destination."

They made their way down the track which was now rather steep, narrow and alarmingly slippery.

"You must be very careful Sarah, neither of us needs an injury just now" Em panted with the effort of keeping upright.  "Not too much further, just around that bend and you will be able to see the valley in its entirety – it is a beautiful sight."

Sarah nodded not really listening she was too intent on ensuring she did not fall – the path really was dangerous.

Finally they topped another rise and followed the track around the corner. Emerald suddenly stopped with a gasp,

"What, what is it?"

Sarah looked over her friends shoulder and took an inward breath – "oh" was all she said. What had once been a beautiful valley was now a sea of debris and dying trees.

Sarah looked at Emerald's face – she looked as if someone had just punched her in the stomach. Sarah turned to look back down at the valley and saw movement. A bulldozer was sloughing a path through the debris so that a large truck could get through to dump another load of waste.

"What are they doing? Who ordered this?" Emerald began to rant, flinging her hands in the air as she walked back and forth. "I can't believe my father would let this happen or the Mayor? This is just too awful." Tears streamed down her face and she angrily brushed them away. Sarah nodded her head; she understood her friend's pain.

"So, I gather this wasn't like this when you lived here before?"

"No, no it certainly wasn't. I just can't believe how much it has changed and I don't understand why. I know the trees are cut down at various times throughout the year, the wood has all sorts of uses, but that - "she gestured at the forest beyond "that is not what is happening there. The trees are dying from some sort of a disease, probably brought on by whatever they are dumping on the ground."

"Did you want to go down and investigate? See if anyone down there knows something."

"Sarah, somehow I don't think they will want us down there asking questions, but I do know someone in town who can probably give us some answers."

"Well then, we had better get a move on."

Emerald again took the lead and they continued down along the narrow, winding path until they reached the bottom. Sarah sat down on a boulder to rest. "Can we stop a minute please – I need to catch my breath."

The other girl nodded and flung herself down on the grass. All was silent except for their heavy breathing.

Emerald passed Sarah the water bottle she had taken from the hut. She drank the water gratefully. She suddenly realised that they had been walking for quite a few hours now and breakfast seemed such a long time ago.

"Did you bring any food?"

Em smiled, "I did, are you hungry?"

"Starving."

Emerald handed Sarah one of the two containers she pulled out of her bag. "I grabbed these when we were in the hut, figured you might get hungry before we reached our destination."

Sarah eagerly munched on a cheese and some sort of salad sandwich, "Where are we going anyway?"

"Peak Ridge".

"Is that part of Pointed Valley?"

"Yes – hopefully that has not changed. I do hope I can find out what has happened in the valley – it is very strange."

"Well, I'm finished, shall we be off?" Sarah wiped the crumbs from her mouth and stood up, offering her friend a hand.

"I guess," Emerald said quietly as she allowed Sarah to pull her to her feet.