Forest of Imagination

My Absent Adventure

"Great!" I started, then stepped back as Trinity tried to squeeze the tombstone. Maybe it still looked like a spider?

"We're done for now, right?" McKenzie asked, stumbling back. "Ahh!" she screamed as she fell into nothingness. "This isn't real," she gasped, standing upright again, straight through a ghost.

"Right, let's get back," I shivered.

Back in the control room, Trinity held up the piece. "We've got it, yo peeps!" She yelled overexcitedly. I gestured for her to take the enthusiasm down a notch.

"Right," she murmured, and Katie rolled her eyes.

"Nice," she commented sarcastically.

"You're like, the opposite of Trin," McKenzie said, "because you're SO unenthusiastic."

"Whatevs," Katie replied.

"We need just four pieces left," I changed the topic. "I need to take a break, so who's volunteering?" I waited.

"I'll go," Trinity shrugged. We all looked at Katie.

"What? Fine, I'll go, but I'm out on the next one," she sighed again. I smiled, satisfied.

"We'll watch you guys here," McKenzie pointed at the multiple TVs in the control room. "I have surveillance cameras all over. That Jeff, not me, installed, of course, because I don't know anything about them."

"Yeah, OK," Katie replied absentmindedly, shouldering a cute purse.

"According to the cams, the fourth piece is in Alyson Mountain, which is guarded by possessed elves. Luke is there," McKenzie informed, a hint of sadness in her voice. I wanted to ask her the history between her and Luke, but obviously now wasn't the time. Katie spoke.

"Where is that...Alyson Mountain?" she asked.

"Two miles from here," Trinity observed, peering over my shoulder at the screens. "Westward, so we should take your so-called box system on the Andrean Trail." Like always, I was surprised at how easily Trinity accepted all this Terra Meridian stuff, being a pure human.

"Yeah, if you need anything like sleeping bags because you couldn't get it in one day, tell Katie to text me," I said. Trinity nodded and grabbed a cheeseburger slider from the snacks table next to a laptop. Katie also took a closed cup of lemonade and looked enviously at the high-tech gear. She was jealous!

"I need to get a room like this," she mumbled, taking a ladylike sip from the lemonade. Katie was too prim for her own good.

"Right, we'll see you!" McKenzie waved cheerfully. She acted eager for them to be off, unlike me, who was playing bored.

So they went off, and I turned to McKenzie. "Hey, how about a little rest? I'm totally beat, and they're off doing their doohickey stuff." McKenzie smiled.

"Yeah, well, it's just us two again, isn't it?" she grinned, hugging ne. "Here, Jeff installed some hotel-like rooms. Let's sleep in one of those." She pushed a lock combination into the screen next to a hidden door, and it opened.

The room had two double beds, with a dark-wood desk hiding in the corner. I immediately noticed a tank of water surrounding the beds, somehow not getting the sheets wet. I knew this had to be Terra Meridian magic...how else was it possible?

"Did Jeffrey Nunez build this? This is totally impressive!" I gushed, and McKenzie blushed.

"No, I designed and built it, actually," she replied shyly. I looked at her in surprise, wondering why she would be so modest about it. Why, if I had made that, I'd yell it to the entire world!

"Why are you so silent about it? Mack, you're an amazing architect!" I gasped.

"Yeah, well, thanks," she blushed. She was definitely trying to be modest. It was amazing, though, and I ran my fingers on the sides of the Plexiglass. The surface was smooth, stable, yet delicate, and I felt that one hard press could make all the water spill out. But in a good way.

"Why don't you show it to the world?" I asked.

"They would think I was crazy, Melody. I mean, no one can breathe underwater, and even mermaids have to have an air bubble. The bubble could pop, and that's why only I would be able to sleep here," McKenzie explained. I still didn't get it.

"Okay, why you and not other mermaids? You might pop your bubble while sleeping too," I pointed out.

"I was trained by the expert, my mother. She was...she was the queen of Terra Meridian's oceans, and Mermaid Bay. Queen Aster, though at home--the castle--me and my--the king, I mean--we call her Ash," McKenzie replied, spilling everything out.

"What? Then...then why are you so casual and why do you live alone in a simple condominium?" I asked, surprised.

"It's not simple, if you've noticed," she whispered.

"And?" I demanded.

"I'm casual because there are assassins who go around TM killing royalty! Mom might be dead at this moment and I won't even know 'cause they don't know I exist!" McKenzie shouted, tears in her eyes. I widened mine, because never has McKenzie acted this way before. Then again, the situation was more serious than I'd been used to. "That Trident...it's my family's symbol, Mel. That's why finding it and saving TM is more important to me than you, maybe even Jeffrey," she continued. I tried to process it.

"Wow," was all I could manage. McKenzie was on the verge of tears, so I put my hand on her shoulder awkwardly.

"Harmony knew, but she kept it well and I wish she was here...not that you're a bad friend, but Harmony really knows how to cheer me up while you just pretend to understand when you really don't," McKenzie took a shuddering breath. I couldn't help but feel a little insulted that McKenzie felt that way. OK, so maybe I was pretending to, but still. It's a reflex, people.

"I am pretending, which I guess isn't cheering you up," I confessed, laughing softly.

"Nope," she shook her head. Suddenly, my phone dinged.

Katie: Not night yet, what are u doing?

Melody: Napping, I shouldn't have put my ringtone so loud

So maybe I shouldn't have lied, but still, what if it was necessary? I'm not going to tell her the truth anyway.

Katie: Im so bored, Trinity is way too outgoing for my taste

Melody: Why don't u help her talk?

Katie: My life is messed up girl

Melody: Right I'll see you later

Katie: Ugh Whatevs bye! Sorry gotta go so sorry

Melody: K

Katie: So sorry bye

Hopefully they didn't need help for the rest of the day, or we'd be having a long night. Please come back soon, Trinity and Katie and maybe even Luke so I can find his relationship with McKenzie, I prayed.

A/N: I'm on vacation, like I said, so my chappies might be a little short. Hope you liked this, and I might be making another book but only maybe. Be sure to check it out if I do!