Chapter six, not as long, but still pretty good hahaha
The two settled into a small clearing where small leafy plants sprung up from the ground all around them. Jane floated over the grass, examining the various grasses and weeds as Piff followed her, looking around at the trees.
Jane stopped for a moment, reached down, and pulled up a wad of green clover-looking plants with yellow flowers and handed it to Piff.
"Here, eat this." She put the plant in his open palm.
"What is it?" He asked, looking the little plant over.
"Wood Sorrel." Jane answered. "Also known as Billy Goat Grass. Try it."
Piff looked at her for a moment before biting at the plant. He rolled the pods aroud on his tongue for a moment before shivering and making a face at her.
"It's sour!" He laughed.
"Yep." Jane nodded. "That's because of a small amount of toxin in the plant."
Piff's eyes widened and he considered spitting the plant out in an act of panic.
"It's not enough to kill you, there, Indiana Jones." Jane chuckled. "Just don't pig out on it."
Piff nodded and ate the plant. Not a moment after he'd swallowed what he'd had, Jane had pulled up another plant.
"This is Wood Strawberry." Jane told him as she placed some red berries in his hand. "They're watery and they have a similar texture to that of a cotton ball, but it's edible so, yea."
Piff hesitantly placed a red sphere into his mouth and bit down on it. Immediately, the juices flowed over his tongue. His brows knitted together and he looked at Jane.
"It doesn't taste like anything." He looked down at the berries in his palm.
"Yep." Jane smirked. "That's about right."
Piff threw back the rest of the berries and watched Jane pulled up some familiar clovers.
"Clovers?" He asked.
"Yep." Jane smiled as she handed them over to him. "Really strong in taste but a great source of protein."
Piff looked over the little green plant and bit into it, his mouth and nose filling with a cucumber-like scent.
"Wow, that is strong." Piff shivered. "Yeesh!"
"My first clover wasn't very pleasent, either." Jane chuckled. "It's an aquired taste."
"I can tell." Piff foreced the rest of the plants down and decided he was done nibbling for a while. He sat down and rested as Jane hovered next to him, her legs crossed. "So, where did you learn that from?"
"I used to live in kind of a rural area where people grew stuff all the time." Jane answered. "You learn a thing or two from it being passed down and then sometimes you just find out for yourself. I also read some really good books on the subject, you should read up on it sometime. It's really fun."
"It looks like it." Piff nodded. He looked around at the scenery and up at the sky where the sun had begun to make it's way to the west. "Wont be long now."
"Nope." Jane spoke. "Are you ready?"
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Piff smiled over at her.
"No, not really." She chuckled.
"So, what do you think will happen to this place?" Piff asked. "After it's cleared out?"
"I look for people to come back after a while." Jane answered. "Someone who's unfamiliar with the rumors about this place. Then, it'll develope back into a livable neighborhood."
"I'd like to see that." Piff smiled at the idea.
"Maybe you will." Jane looked over at him.
"I hope so." Piff sighed. "Wouldn't mind having a house, here, myself."
"Only someone like you would move into a previously haunted neighborhood." Jane chuckled.
"Nah, not just me." Piff laughed. "Other goth kids, too."
"Of course." Jane rolled her eyes with a smile.
The afternoon sun poured in over the cul-de-sac and the spirits had begun to make their way to the creek to see what the fuss was about earlier, or if there was a catch, as was the nature of Eddy's attractions.
Jane and Piff followed behind, keeping a comfortable space between the spirits and themselves so as not to alarm anyone.
The walk to the creek wasn't a long one, only taking around five minutes over easy terrain. The creek wasn't large or fierce by any means, rather it was of meduim size and perfect for kids to play in safely. Jane and Piff spotted the Eds gathered on the bank and went to meet them.
"Glad you could make it." Eddy greeted them.
"Indeed." Jane smiled. "You guys ready?"
"As I'll ever be." Double D shivered.
"Don't be nervous, Double D." Jane smiled. "Look at it this way; you can't possibly mess this up, you've already figured it out."
"True." He nodded, glancing over at the creek. "I just don't like being in the spot light."
"It wont be for long." Piff smiled. "Just cross the creek, show the others it's possible, and boom, it's over."
Double D smiled at him and nodded.
"Good man." Piff reached out and patted his shoulder. He then made a face, suddenly realizing that he couldn't touch Doube D when he'd first met him.
Double D saw the suddenly confusion and took it upon himself to explain the phenominon.
"Whenever we come to the creek, we gather more energy." He looked up at the two. "And when we gather more energy, we can manifest better. That's why you can touch me, now."
"Oh." Piff nodded. "Wow, this creek must give you guys a lot of energy, then."
"It does." Double D nodded.
"Alright, alright," Eddy butted in. "Enough with the science lesson. Go sit with the others while we prepare."
Piff and Jane bid their goodbyes and went to sit with the other spirits, who had taken on the energy from the creek as well.
The two sat beside one another and the other spirits gathered around them, looking at them and whispering in curiosity.
Suddenly, Piff felt his ponytail being lifted up. He looked around and saw Nazz smiling at him.
"I LOVE your hair, dude!" She smiled, stroking the purple strands.
"Thanks?" He looked at her.
"I've wanted to do this since I saw you guys come in." She laughed, separating the ponytail into three pieces and braiding it. "It's so healthy. Wish I could get my hair to grow out like this."
Piff looked over at Jane and cocked an eyebrow, but Jane only smiled at him.
Jane turned to look to her right, but was met with a rather goofy face that startled her and she yelped, making Piff laugh.
"Ha, ha!" A bald boy laughed as he removed the plank of wood from her side. "Plank got ya'!"
"Plank?" Jane asked, laughing now, as well.
"He's my best friend! What's that, plank?" The boy held the piece of wood to his ear for a moment. "... Plank says he likes your stick!"
Jane looked down at the scythe laying next to her and smiled.
"My scythe?" She asked.
"Yea!" The boy smiled widely.
"Why, thank you." Jane smiled at him.
"Don't thank me," He laughed, holding the board out again. "Thank Plank!"
"Thanks, Plank." Jane nodded with a smile.
"He says you're welcome." The boy smiled.
"Move it, Johnny!" Sarah pushed him out of the way, taking his spot.
"Plank says you're too aggressive for your age!" Johnny yelled as he took another seat nearby.
"Plank's not too good to become fire wood!" Sarah retorted. She then looked back over at Piff, who's hair was now braided and being adorned with flowers. "Hi, Piff."
Sarah batted her eyes at him.
"Hi, Sarah." Piff's eyes widened.
"What'cha' doin'?" She asked, smiling at him.
"Just sittin' around." Piff answered, obtaining a giggle from Sarah.
"That's so cool." She sighed. "Here, Nazz, let me help you."
Sarah walked over to Nazz and sat down where she began helping her pick flowers and weave them into Piff's hair.
"I like your jacket." Jimmy sat down near Sarah and looked over at Jane.
"Thanks." Jane smiled at him.
"Military inspired fashion has really come back in this season." He smiled.
"Oh?" Jane asked.
"Yep." He nodded. "The people who used to live in my house wanted to be fashion designers and they always kept up with the latest fashions. Looks like you have, too."
"Oh, this is my uniform." Jane looked down at the barred jacket. "All of my kind wear it."
"Like a Marching Band?" He asked.
"Yea, just like a Marching Band." Jane smiled at him.
"I wanted to be in the Band once." Jimmy put his hands out in front of him as if he were playing the clarinet. "But my head gear made it impossible to play anything."
"Drums?" Jane asked. "Any percussion?"
"I was too weak to hold up a drum and too short to reach the other ones." Jimmy sighed.
"Well, maybe you can acheive your dream later." Jane smiled.
"You think so?" He asked.
"I do." Jane nodded.
"Rolf would like to congratulate the pony tailed boy on his victory of the game of horse." Rolf walked over and sat down near Piff, reaching out and pinching his cheek. "Rolf offers you the cheek pinch of congratulation!"
"Thanks, Rolf." Piff was slightly puzzled by the tall boy's actions, but also amused. "You were really good, too."
"Oh, that is because Rolf used to chuck large beats into a basket in the old country!" Rolf thought back to his childhood. "What times those were!"
"I bet." Piff nodded. "Where is your family from?"
"It is a vast land full of wilderness and wonder!" Rolf explained, his eyes wide with happiness as he thought back. "There were mountains as high as the moon and valleys as wide as the seas! People of this land called it..."
"ATTENTION EVERYONE!" Eddy's voice rang out over the group, making them look up, even Kevin, who sat away from the group. "It's showtime!"
Eddy turned to Double D and smiled at hime.
"You can do it, Double D!" Ed called. "Just think about macaroni!"
Double D stepped into the creek and glanced back at Ed.
"Thanks for the encouragment, Ed." He nodded. He turned his attention back to the creek, his heart racing as every eye was on him. He slowly waded out into the deeper part of the waters, lifting his arms up above the surface.
"What if he really makes it?" Nazz asked Sarah.
"Ha, that'll be the day." Sarah scoffed.
Double D continued to walk, the waters lowering a little as he neared the otherside of the creek. With careful hands, he climbed up to the bank and stood, steadying himself and looking at the place he once could not cross.
"He'll never do it." Kevin mumbled, Jane overhearing him.
"Don't be so sure." She spoke without looking at him.
Kevin glanced over at Jane and scoffed, returning to watch Double D.
Double D took a deep breath and let his inner determination and need for discovery take over. He climbed up the bank and took hold of a tree root so he could pull himself up and onto the grassy area. Once there, he stood and looked into the woods. Before, this would be as far as he could go, just like the others, but things were different now.
He held his breath, without the need to breath, and took one step into the woods. Then another. And another.
"look..." Nazz's eyes grew wide. "He's doing it, he's actually doing it!"
"Sarah, he's crossing the boundry!" Jimmy grabbed Sarah's sleeve.
"Go, Double D, go!" Sarah called.
"Rolf can not believe his eyes!" Rolf gaped.
"Looky there, Plank!" Johnny smiled widely.
"I don't believe it..." Kevin's arms fell to his sides.
"You should." Jane spoke, looking at him. "That's your ticket out of here."
Double D walked into the woods a good ways before deciding the point had been proven and he could come back. He turned and waved at the others who were all standing and cheering for him.
He began walking back as the others waded into the waters to meet him with a large group hug.
Jane and Piff stood on the bank, watching with smiles. Jane turned and looked at Kevin as he walked up beside of them.
"... I don't know what to say." He spoke carefully.
"You could start with thanking Double D." Jane smiled at him. "He had this all figured out a long time ago."
"You're kidding me." Kevin looked at her.
"Not at all." Jane shook her head. "He just didn't know how to approach you all about it."
"... We probably wouldn't have listened." Kevin frowned. "We hardly ever do."
"It pays to be open minded." Jane smiled.
"Yea, seriously." Kevin chuckled. "So, where do we go from here?"
"You'll see." Jane smiled.
The group waded out of the creek and walked with Double D, all cheering still, back to the cul-de-sac.
To the next chapter for more awesome.
