Chapter 8: Don't Eat the Mushrooms
"Poop dawn" was getting more annoying every day. They had been taking care of the babies for a week, and these were still the only words they knew. They had only been planning to keep the babies for two days, but no one wanted them to go to the orphanage. They had too many memories of being there, themselves. And everyone was very tired. The babies woke up two and three times a night.
Ryan was playing near the water with Rachel and Rebecca one morning. Sarah was watching from a few feet away. The water suddenly froze. Sarah looked around, expecting to see Alice and Sonya, but she did not. Instead, she saw three weird people dressed in cloaks.
"I told you we were going the wrong way!" said a small boy with dirty blonde hair. He looked about nine years old.
"I agree. I really don't think we're on Coresant," said a boy, who looked the same age as Sarah.
"I don't know where we are!" said a man.
"Why don't you ask them?" said the little boy, pointing at Sarah.
"Me?" asked Sarah.
"Yeah, you!" said the boy.
"Anakin!" scolded the older boy. He turned to Sarah. "Sorry. Do you know where we are, miss?"
"You are on the planet, Golda, in a forest twenty miles from Gifek," explained Sarah.
"Golda. I'm not familiar with this planet," said the older boy. Rachel began to cry. Sarah went over and scooped her up.
"Hmm…" said the man. He leaned over and whispered something to the older boy.
"Stop crying, Rachel! Tim says if you wake him up one more time, he's driving you straight to Gifek and dropping you off at the orphanage!" Sarah said.
"This baby is very strong in The Force," said the man.
"The Force?" said Sarah.
"Yes. The mysterious energy that connects all living organisms," explained the man.
"Yeah, whatever," said Sarah.
"Come on, Anakin! We are going back to the ship to test this baby's midi-chlorian level," said the man. He began to walk out of the forest, but then he said, "Uh, Obi-Wan? Do you know the way back to the ship?" The older boy, Obi-Wan, went off with him and so did the younger boy, Anakin.
"That was strange!" said Sarah. She put Rachel back with Ryan and Rebecca, and began to read a book.
Obi-Wan, Anakin, and the other man came back later in the afternoon.
"I knew this baby was strong in The Force!" said the man.
"Yes, but Master Qui-Gon, I sense another," said Obi-Wan.
"Yes. Is there another baby here?" Qui-Gon asked Sarah.
"Uh, yeah. Why?"
"As I said before, this baby is very strong in The Force. If there is another, we can train them both to be Jedi knights," explained Qui-Gon.
"We would like to speak to the babies' parents," said Obi-Wan.
"They are orphans. I am responsible for them for the time being. What do you want?" Sarah put her book down and stood up.
"We'd like to train them as Jedi knights. We will need to take them for several years, and they may never come back," said Qui-Gon.
Sarah's eyes lit up. "Sure you can take the babies! We've been trying to find them a home!"
"At least they're not too old," Obi-Wan said quietly, eyeing Anakin. Sarah was the only one who heard.
"So you really want them?" asked Sarah.
"Yes," said Qui-Gon.
"Okay," said Sarah. She gathered up the babies' things. "The one in pink is Rachel, and the one in purple is Rebecca," she explained.
"Alright. We'll be going now. Come on, Anakin. Wait! I have a great idea! Obi-Wan, why don't you stay here for a while? They need a Jedi on this planet!" Qui-Gon said.
Obi-Wan looked a little startled. "Alright," he said. "I'll stay." He didn't look too happy about it.
"I want to stay, too!" said Anakin.
"No, you must come with me to Coresant," said Qui-Gon.
"I'm hungry!" shouted Anakin.
"I'm sorry, but I don't have anything for you to eat! Now come on!"
"I'll find something myself!" Anakin scanned the area. His eyes locked on the mushrooms. "Yum! Mushrooms!" He ran over to the mushrooms.
"Don't eat those," said Turtle, coming out of the cabin.
"Why not? I don't have to listen to you! You're not the boss of me!"
"Alright, but I warned you…"
Anakin took a huge bite of mushroom. Nothing happened. Then suddenly, the huge tree pulled its roots out of the ground and leaped across the forest, landing on Anakin. He was catapulted out of the forest towards the ship.
"So that's what happens when you eat a mushroom! Cool!" cried Turtle. He went back inside.
Qui-Gon sighed, picked up the babies and their things, and ran out of the forest to look for Anakin.
It was by now 6:00. Sarah and Ryan went inside. Obi-Wan was alone in the forest. He didn't have anything to eat and he was hungry. He also didn't have any place to stay for the night.
Cathy came outside after dinner. "And you would be…?"
"Obi-Wan."
"Why didn't you leave with the others?"
"I'm supposed to stay here."
"Where are you staying tonight?"
"I'm not sure. It's probably warm enough to sleep out here."
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"I do."
"Well, if you insist, but at least get a blanket." Cathy went inside, got a blanket, and gave it to Obi-Wan. "Good night," she said.
"Good night." Obi-Wan walked over to the rock over the deer, spread out his blanket, and went to sleep.