Episode: A Foe In The Creek
Another bright day at the creek with the stump kids staggering around one of Craig’s failed inventions.
‘Nooo,’ Craig groaned with disappointment. ‘This is the third time my loop-to-loop racecar invention fell. Tape didn’t work, clay didn’t work, and that so-called super glue wouldn’t do its trick.’
‘Sorry, Craig,’ JP scratched his head in guilt. ‘We may not have resolved it, but we did work hard for today.’
‘JP’s right,’ Kelsey smiled boldly, ‘How about we go to the Trading Tree and replenish ourselves to eat?’
‘Yeah, I agree.’ Craig felt cheered a little.
As the trio went to Trading Tree, all the children gathered around, chatting and playing, especially around the tree filled with great snacks put in the tree hole and the fizzy, refreshing drinks treasured by the orange storage box with a white lid. This small, active business has been run by the one and true savior, Kit, who would trade kids who would bring toys, small candies, or some worthy material in exchange for unimaginable treats.
‘Hey Kit!’ Craig called, ‘Two choco rolls and an orange soda pop.’
‘I’ll take the finest grape soda pop; I’ll put it in my trading tab,’ Kelsey ordered
‘Sure thing!’ Kit nodded, ‘And your exchange, Craig?’
Craig pulled out two golf balls and three ping-pong balls on the lid as Kit served at the left side of his court.
‘Thanks, Kit!’ Craig responded.
A loud thud came from the tiny foot of an immature-sized kid, dressed in a serious, pure white coat with a pale green shirt of a goofy smiley. Her face was not shown; only mysterious darkness was covered by her scruffy bangs. She walked formally straight to Kit, a dead serious atmosphere surrounding the two. Kit’s bronze-skinned face dripped a few drops of sweat, but she remained calm as she stared at that girl.
‘What do you want?’ Kit questioned boldly, ‘In fact, what are you here for?’
The girl looked up to her as Kit shivered instantly at her quick head movement.
‘Got any water?’ The girl asked in a passive voice.
‘Sorry, I ran out of water,’ Kit blurted. The girl sighed and turned back to the head where she came.
‘Wait!’ Craig yelped out to the girl. She spun around and reached Craig at incredible speed, making no sound. Craig stood to her and pulled out his trust-crafty map.
‘Maybe I could help you,’ Craig suggested, ‘I have mapped all written landmarks to lead you anywhere you need.’
The girl leaned her head closer to the map, sniffing out the landmarks marked on it. Her finger slid to the housing area and tapped three times.
‘Do you think you could take me back home instead?’ She looked at him with pleading eyes, her spectacles properly seen.
‘Of course I can,’ Craig proudly patted his chest, ‘For Craiggy boy, with this map of mine, I can lead any lost children who cannot find their homes, find the nearest market, and even mark the location you need’
Kelsey chuckled teasingly, ‘Oh really, I, Kelsey, can fight through any battle you cannot fight!’ she huffed confidently.
The girl tilted her head at the two’s bickering, then gently pointed to the housing area once more. ‘Let’s go then?’ She tilted her head as the bickering quieted down.
Craig abruptly turned his head, staring at the petite girl beside her before grinning confidently, ‘Alriiiight! Let’s go!’ he boldly claimed, as it echoed through the creek.
All four kids marched through the creek, with bright confidence that was radiant and vibrant enough to seep through the dense trees.
Craig marched in front, holding his map high like a captain navigating uncharted seas.
‘According to my calculations,’ he announced loudly, tracing a finger across the paper, ‘If we take the Overpass, cross the Riddle Bridge, and cut through the Secret Bamboo Trail, we’ll reach the neighbourhood in approximately… nine minutes.’
JP blinked, completely and unadulteratedly astonished, ‘That’s… really specific.’
Craig smiled, ‘I rounded up,’ he admitted, then went back to looking at his map closely like a hawk.
The mysterious girl silently followed a few steps behind them, her hands firmly grasping her bag’s handles. She walked with perfect posture, her shoes barely making a sound against the dirt and ragged leaves.
Kelsey glanced over her shoulder, her curiosity consuming her confidence. ‘So… what’s your name?’ she asked the mysterious little girl, noting her very petite height.
‘Gabby…’ the girl said, looking at Kelsey as she quietly studied Kelsey’s movements.
Kelsey raised a brow, staring blankly as she repeated the name, ‘Just…Gabby?’
Gabby stared, then nodded with a small smile, as JP chirped in, ‘Cool!’ JP grinned. ‘I'm JP!’
Kelsey stared at JP, then grinned, then stepped forward as she raised her sword with pride, as if her curiosity never existed, ‘Kelsey is I, warrior of the Creek!’
Craig laughed at Kelsey’s dramatic entrance, then smiled, ‘And I’m Craig, the mapping prodigy.’
Gabby looked at Craig. ‘I know,’ she said in a matter-of-fact tone as Craig paused on his path, as the other two copied.
‘...How did you know?’ Craig raised a brow, completely caught off-guard.
Gabby looked at Craig, then repeated what Craig said with a flat tone, ‘For Craiggy boy, with this map of mine, I can lead any lost children who cannot find their homes, find the nearest market, and even mark the location you need,’ she then hummed, ‘Does it make sense?’ she asked softly.
Craig blinked, remembering his past words, and was about to reply; before he could, Kelsey interrupted.
‘Caught guilty now, Craiggy boy?’ Kelsey teased, grinning as JP smiled at the back, unbothered by the bickering atmosphere.
~𖤝~
They rode a floatie through the Overpass, temporary darkness giving Gabby a spook, then solved the riddles of Riddle Bridge, giving Gabby a moment to think, and continued on foot, drawing ever closer to the Secret Bamboo Trail.
‘Almost to the Secret Bamboo Trail, then we’ll reach your home in no time, Gabby!’ Craig grinned as JP nodded in acknowledgement and replied,
‘Yeah, and maybe get a snack while we're there; I'm starving. Do you think your parents won’t mind?’ JP asked kindly as Gabby hummed.
‘They won’t bother too much, though; they’ll pester you with questions.’ She grinned as Kelsey laughed,
‘Well, madame, we’ll cross the sacred secrets with might and power! And devour our last meal on this trip!’ Kelsey raised her sword boldly, as Mortimor chirped loudly.
CRASH!!
The trio flinched, completely caught off-guard.
Kelsey reacted, holding her sword out as her competitive spirit burst while the silent fear lingered in her tense posture. Craig took a few steps back and held his map tightly, guarded and ready to take flight to avoid his precious map being taken, while JP stood calmly yet warily, scanning the area frantically.
Suddenly, one of the Honeysuckle Rangers appeared, holding a Honeysuckle flower. ‘Honeysuckle Pollen Pummel!’ he shouted, blowing the Honeysuckle flower’s pollen to catch Kelsey, JP and Craig off-guard.
Gabby noticed, then dashed through, ‘Craig! Kelsey! JP!’ she shouted as she immediately defended her friends by standing in front and holding her breath to avoid inhaling the pollen.
One of them stared coldly, before he made the next move, the other one held him, speaking calmly, ‘Careful, Shawn,’ said the tall one, ‘She’s not like those three. She’s… small… and adorable,’ he added with a smile as Shawn glanced at the tall one.
‘Raj, focus.’ Shawn stated as Raj smiled sheepishly and nodded, ‘Right, sorry.’
Shawn then turned his head, facing Gabby, then at the purse wrapped around Craig, ‘the map!’ Shawn thought, immediately switching his priorities towards the purse.
He stretched his arm, long enough to almost reach the purse, his confidence returning, ‘I got-’
SMACK!!
Shawn slightly stumbled, completely caught off-guard, and immediately took a few steps back, rubbing his hand, as Raj approached Shawn, then placed a reassuring hand on Shawn’s back, ‘You alright?’ Raj asked softly, deeply concerned.
Shawn sighed, placing his hand where Raj placed it, ‘I’m fine… just…’ he stuttered exasperatedly, then glared at Gabby, ‘You’re a different story, a complicated one,’ he stood up properly, ‘But that won’t stop us from getting that map.’
Before Shawn could attempt another move, Raj approached, raising his hands calmly and spoke in a warm and soothing tone, ‘Now, now, we can settle this nicely; we just want to see the map, again, and perhaps show it to our special… secret friend!’ he smiled, while Gabby raised a brow, not completely buying it because of Shawn’s feistiness.
She grumbled, her stance not wavering, while Shawn grew impatient; his moves grew frantic. He immediately leapt across the sneezing trio, ‘Honeysuckle, jump!’ he exclaimed and snatched the map effortlessly, ‘And Honeysuckle, snatch!’
Gabby, who completely misread Shawn, was immediately alerted, ‘Oh no!’ She thought, trying to figure out a way to get that purse back.
‘Oh my.’ Raj said, his cheeks growing crimson red, but immediately shook it off. ‘L-Let’s go, Shawn!’ he shouted as Shawn blinked, then dashed through.
Gabby stared before gasping and chasing them. ‘Hey-!’ she finally spoke, dashing through the dense forest.
‘Nghhuh… whuh… what happened…?’ JP straightened his back, wiping his nose.
Craig breathed heavily, then his eyes widened, ‘M-my map-!’, he stared at the spot where his purse was before, eyes wider than Mortimor’s size, ‘My bag!! Gabby?!’ he exclaimed, searching for Gabby frantically, as Kelsey immediately approached, then looked at the path.
‘What cruelty… snatching bags for- for-’ Kelsey growled, then pulled her sword out, ‘Come on! We got some Honeysuckle Scums to chase, that has our friend!!’ She ran with rapid speed, well enough for JP and Craig to catch up.
‘Kelsey! Whoaahh!!’ JP called out, almost tripping on the upper roots of the trees.
‘Careful, JP!’ Craig called out, tugging JP’s sleeve and lifting him back to his stubby feet, while Kelsey went ahead where Gabby had gone off.
TO BE CONTINUED... Follow for more! :P
