The Enchantments: Book 3 - The Key of Sorcen

Chapter 15: Mishmash Trail

Simeneon groaned, as the jeep bounced over another mound of dirt, never before had her behind ever been this sore. The constant jarring made the trip to the start of the trail that much less enjoyable. She had tried every position trying to lessen the agony but nothing seemed to work. That is until Giles gave her a blow-up ring seat, after that, her mind and behind were put at ease. She knew now why she liked him.

Macnish sat smug and talkative in the front seat boring the heck out of the driver who at any occasion would touch the brakes causing Macnish to smack his head off his clipboard. This usually brought a fit of laughter from the others sitting in the back and a look of disgust from Macnish.

"When we get to the river I want a full checklist done on all our equipment and supplies. Do I make myself clear Giles?" Macnish said rather snippily and not at all friendly like.

"Yes, sir," Giles said solemnly.

"Why do you put up with all his crap?" Simeneon whispered bitterly.

"I'm really learning a lot from him. Where else would I be able to get the experience I need for my studies?" He softly asked back.

"Books would probably be much safer." She shot back not taking her eyes from Macnish.

Giles looked back at her and soon they were both snickering under the watchful eye of Macnish who continued to eye them suspiciously.

Within a couple of hours, Simeneon caught sight of the mountains rising majestically in the distance.

"Why can't we drive right to the base of the mountains?" She asked.

"The area we want to get to is only accessible through the Mishmash Trail, we'll be traveling by boat to the trail then hiking a couple of days into the interior towards the mountains."

"I'm not worried about the hike... just the time with Macnish." She nodded over in the direction of the adventurer who was now boring the driver with tales of an avalanche he had helped avert.

"Don't let him get to you, he does have a way of growing on you," Giles said.

"Problem is, I have no wart medication that can remove him after he's attached." She sighed.

The jeep was soon emptied and the equipment was placed in a pile a few feet from the banks of the small river. Macnish, on the other hand, was seated in a chair underneath an umbrella watching Giles sweat over the arrangements for the trip.

Simeneon looked disgustingly at Macnish, in which he just shrugged off then went to help Giles, but he begged her to let him complete the rest of the unpacking alone. She walked over to the river and stared down it swelling banks towards the canopy of trees and the mountains beyond. The contrast of the interior of the trail was staggering compared to the valley they now stood. Thick leaves covered the majority of the base of the canyon leading deep into the mountains. Simeneon had heard that the canyon had been forged from glaciers that rose high above the tree line left behind fertile soil that now housed the rainforest that covered the land.

The average rainfall within the rain forest is a staggering five meters a year, so staying dry was high on her list of things to remember. She wondered to herself how Macnish would handle the rain. Would he complain bitterly the entire trip? Or would he get Giles to be his personal clothes dryer? She didn't have to think long, for she knew what that answer would be.

Simeneon watched as Giles placed the last of the bags into the boat tied to a small dock just a few feet away. She waited as he sighed and wiped the sweat from his brow then walked over to Macnish who whose head was now bobbing up and down in the throws of a nap. Giles shook him gently awake and Macnish jumped up like he had not been sleeping at all, maybe that's the impression he wanted to portray.