Where They Found the Mint Leaves

Part 5

Avia and Evan could barely see the daylight through the thick trees and their odd angled branches. The trees here now have no leaves and many branches, as though they are alive and filled with color in another world. Avia gets scratched many times but she doesn't care. The idea of the magical Mint Leaves keeps her going.

Then they are blocked. The trees have gotten so close to each other, a large barrier of tangled branches has halted them. Or maybe it is done on purpose.

"Great now what?" Evan mutters.

"Look for a way." Avia responds. She starts to attempt to pry apart the branches but they are firm and after a few minutes, Avia starts to examine a splinter.

"You have an ax or something?" Evan asks.

"Obviously not stupid. Am I supposed to carry an ax wherever I go?" Avia retorts. After trying to make a hole in the blockage for a while, the sun is high in the sky and Avia could feel beads of sweat trickling down her face. How could it have been so cold in the evening and so hot in the afternoon?!

Evan did help but he keeps saying that there is no way they could make a hole. Then he sees something. A tree right in front of the blockage is almost grown in a spiral position.

"Via."

"What?!"

"Look at that tree. Its grown almost so we can climb it."

"Good job you finally noticed."

"WHAT?! You mean you've known that whole time?!"

"Yep. Just wanted you to figure it out and prove to me you might have some brains in your head." Avia answers lazily. She jumps up from her sitting position and walks up to the tree and starts to climb the tree that is about four times her size.

"I hate you, Via." Evan mumbles as he starts to climb after her. Avia reaches the top and peers over the blockage. Beyond it is more trees. Great

"I'm going to jump over and you follow me." Avia says. Without warning she leaps from the tree with her hair flying behind her. Evan's eyes turn wide. The branches start to grow upward, almost grabbing Avia. Almost. When she has landed on the other side, Evan doesn't hear any thump from jumping. Instead it is gentle. She has climbed her way down. Quickly. The branches have grown taller by a foot or so and it looks like the blockage has grown thicker.

Goodbye life Evan thinks as he jumps forward, up high. He could feel his shirt brushing the branches as they start twisting up. Just when he thinks he's on the other side, a branch catches his jacket hood. The branches around it start to grow quickly. Evan's eyes widen, his heart jumping out of his chest as the branches embrace the hood.

"Get rid of your jacket!" Avia yells. Evan looks down and wishes he hadn't. The ground beneath him is far away. Evan gulps. He can hear death laughing evilly saying, "Your life is mine now." Evan closes his eyes and unzips his jacket, the branches now skimming his head.

*THUMP* Evan lands on his arm in the oddest position possible. Luck doesn't like him at all.

Avia runs to Evan. "Are you ok?"

"I have died." Evan mutters, pain eating his arm away.

"You don't have to use the arm for a while. But I don't think it's even broken." Avia declares, putting the pity party to an end. But she take some things out of his backpack.

"I still hate you for not telling me about the tree." Evan mutters. He receives a granola bar in the face.

Evan is busy dusting himself off when Avia breathes, "Evan. Look." Evan frowns as he lifts his head up. His mouth drops to the floor.

There are no trees as Evan has seen on the other side. There is a clearing and a huge glowing tree in the middle. Beautiful plants surround it, beautiful nature Evan and Avia haven't seen through the forest for the whole day and longer. Almost as comforting as home. Almost.

"We're here." Avia whispers. Without another word, she bravely starts walking toward the tree, where she could see a door.