Beyond The Ferns |ON HOLD|

Chapter 2: A taste of leaves

Florerra (n) origin from Latin word

Florra Terra

which means Land of ferns

---PLUMS POV--

I shifted my weight on my left foot as I watch our chieftess take a sip of her herbal tea.

''Plum, Calathes, and Hibiscus there seem to be a low stack of healing herbs and the other girls are busy so you three are on herbal collecting duty today," she finally looked upon us with tired grey eyes. Her name is Lobelia. Rumors say she is from the mainland, the city where there are buildings that touch clouds. Aland where you are free to accomplish your wildest dreams. A place with fewer trees, no mosquitoes nor bugs. People of Florrera can only dream about the mainland. Lobelia calls it New York. She came to the island with a few others because of a awful shipwreck near the island coast. She and her former crew members discovered the village and started our tribe.Lobelia is about 60 years old, but looks like fifty with dark wild hair with only a few speckles of grey and a tight skinned face and eyes full of wisdom. I personally think it's the herbal tea that she drinks.

I internally groaned. Herbal duty is collecting some rare herbs for healing that grows on the other side of the island. In other words it means mosquito bites and wild animal fights.

Perfect way to start my day

I glanced at hibiscus my best friend. She was looking at the ground. I bit into my nails, drowning out Lobelia's voice as she go over the herbs we should be collecting.

''Hey, Plum are you listening?" Hibiscus squeaky voice whispered into my air taking me out of my trance.

''Listening to what?" I replied in a bored tone. She just gave me an 'are you serious right now' look.

''Any problems girls?'' Lobelia asked , her deep voice booms across the small bamboo hut.

''No mother Lobelia,'' we all said in unison.

''Begone then, be back before sundown,'' she dismissed us, going back to her tea.

I stepped outside the small bamboo hut with Hibiscus in tow.

''Ughhhh, I thought I was on water duty today, even that is better than collecting bush,'' Hibiscus groans while pulling a strand of her white hair. Hibiscus is an albino; she is always been bullied about it, but it never seems to bother her.

I gave her a small smile, ''it's not just bush you are collecting bis, and carrying water is worst, where is Fuchsias by the way?'' I said looking around. She is my next best friend and if a person could be banished from Florrera, Lobelia wouldnt hesitate to banish her. Fuchsias is always up to something bad. Since she was assigned to her permanent duty, which is farming, she had gotten even worst. She even went with the boys to the forbidden part of the island where the people from the mainland lives. She told us that she placed poison ivy on their laundry. Its only a matter of time before she gets Lobelia more pissed. I start searching for her in the small village square.

''Fuchsias! Fuchsias!'' I shouted, hoping to get a response.

''Probably she on the beach with the boys, I wish I had duty with the boys, I mean-" she said, her face turning red. I laughed at her blushing face.

Who wouldnt blush? when the village says the boys they are referring to Thai, Lang, Moue, Turtle, and Aiden. The five boys are devilishly handsome. The most outstanding one is Aiden, unusual icy blue eyes, unlike the brown ones which most of the villagers inherit. He has long wavy black hair thats always worn in two braids, and a smile so dazzling that would have you stop dead in your tracks.He is the most loved boy in Florrera, good with children and kind to elders. He has the heart of every village girl, even mine. But no one got to know that.

''Hey, Plum! Fuchsias and the boys are coming.'' Hibiscus' voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned to look at the direction she is looking. Even the dead can hear them coming. They sound like panicked elephants, I really need to have a conversation with Fuchsias about her unladylike behaviour. Aiden and Fuchsias seem to be racing and the other boys were behind them carrying their gears and shouting at them. As they shot past us Fushias waved with a big cheshire grin and Aiden winked in my direction, or maybe there is dust in his eyes...or there is dust in my eyes.

Ugh, I wished I was that free.

''Hey Plumeria and colorless flower its time to git, we have like couple hours to pick those damn leaves!'' I heard Calathes annoying voice behind us. We turned around to look at her. Calathes is your definition of a princess excluding her attitude. Long wavy waist-length hair, unlike my short curly one that attracts leaves and twigs, soft curves, and big honey-colored eyes. She hates me for reasons I don't know, but it never bothers me, I like flowers not pigs . She is like a wolf in a sheeps skin.

As usual, she takes the lead, Hibiscus and I behind her as we start our journey.

''Ugh this is going to be fun,'' Hibiscus muttered pulling a vine out of her way.

''Why complaining colorless flower, a little trek in the sun may benefit you, maybe you'll get a little color if you know what I mean,''she said and snickered, prancing off like she rules the damn forest. I hope a snake bites her. Or maybe I should.

bitch

We start to walk in silence in the dense and thick forest. The forest is full of life around us. I gaze up at the canopy of trees, searching for the bright colored macaws, a flock flew pass overhead. I grinned at the birds. The sun breaks through cracks of trees, lighting up the path ahead of us, decorated with old roots, twigs, flowers and leaves that crunch beneath our feet. We walked on, with me trailing behind taking in the fragrance of rare flowers and the damp earth. I inhaled a long breath of fresh forest air.

And of course, she had to pollute the air with her breath.

''It's time to split up,'' she said, turning abruptly in the path.

''Why would you do that?'' I asked. I swear if this is a trick she is going to pull on us so that she won't do any work. I'm going to re arrange her pretty face.

''Because we have been walking for hours and I have the cave festival to attend to and splitting up would be much more convenient and faster,'' she said as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

''we have been walking for about 5 minu-,''

'' that's not the point here white flower,''

I rolled my eyes. ''Whatever.''

The cave festival is a night celebration held in one of the caves near the shore, every two weeks. Its a festival only for the youths of Florrera who can attend. I've never been there before, Ive never gotten invited nor Hibiscus, Fushias, on the other hand, had gotten an invitation from the boys but she declined when they told her that her friends cannot attend. Only youths like Calathes and Aiden are always accepted.

''Plum you go by the riverside, you'll find wild Chervil and Fennel, Hibiscus you go find Sage and Basil I'll do the rest, move along and be quick with it,'' she said impatiently, ''we meet back here at dawn.'' With that, she walks off.

''Hey, Plum do you want me to come with you?'' Hibiscus asked. I shook my head. I rather doing this solo right now. She nods and walked off in the opposite direction.

''It's now just me and those Cennel and Fervil herbs,'' I muttered to myself as I shoved at the ferns that formed a sea of green that covered the pathway.

Oh, No

"Where is the river again?''

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