They both wished time would stop.
Paulette yelled up to them, “Hey, I’m ready for bed. You guys need to get down here."
Gracie slowly lowered Jesse and Presley back down to the ground.
“This tree’s too small for all of us and it’s probably better that someone keeps watch for Fiend and the others anyway,” he suggested.
“Who's gonna stay up to keep watch?" Paulette asked.
“I’ll stay up first. You two get some sleep. I’ll keep watch for a few hours and then we can rotate,” he said.
“Okay. Wake me up in a few hours and I’ll take over. Presley can take the early morning shift,” Paulette delegated.
“Sounds good to me,” agreed Presley.
Gracie whisked Presley and Paulette up and interweaved her branches to form a large cocoon like shape. It took awhile for Presley to get comfortable.
“Paulette, do you believe in love at first sight?” asked Presley.
Paulette didn’t answer. Presley looked over Paulette and saw that she was already asleep. Presley rolled over and fell asleep too.
≈≈≈≈≈
Jesse kept watch for nearly six hours. When he woke Paulette to take over, they were careful not to wake Presley.
Jesse stayed with Paulette on the ground, in fear that the Manes and Fiend would return. He knew that Gracie held special powers, but was still unsure of her exact abilities. He nestled himself up against Gracie’s trunk and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Paulette sat by the fire and began to think about her mother. She thought about all of the years that had gone by, and how much time she had missed with her family. So much of her life was lost forever. She never had the chance to marry or have children. She was never an ordinary teenager. She had never experienced a first kiss or love. She had missed out on everything. But most of all she missed her mom.
The fire was low so Paulette grabbed a log and tossed it in. Embers flew through the air and the smoke made her cough. She sat back down and stared into the flames. She began to see a faint outline of an object appear in the fire. As she peered closer the entity slowly became clearer.
It was her mother. She was sick and in a hospital, crying for Paulette.
Paulette shook her head and thought, Am I hallucinating? Am I going crazy? She shut and rubbed her eyes, and opened them again. The vision of her mother was still flickering in the fire. Paulette held her hands over her mouth and began to sob.
She inched closer and whispered, “I’m coming home Mom. I promise. I’m coming home."
The heat intensified and the flames grew higher. As the flames popped, Paulette jumped back as cinders leaped out at her.
Fiend emerged from the fire, enveloping the flames.
“Come with me, Paulette. I can help you go home. I’m the only one who can help you. You can’t make it back with the others,” he lured.
“What is happening with my mother? Is she sick?” she pleaded for an answer, as tears streamed down her face.
“Yes, she doesn’t have much time. If you wish to see her, then come with me now,” he said with a sinister tone.
“I don’t know,” Paulette said confused.
“This is your last chance. It’s now or never. Jesse will never be able to get you home. I’m the only one that can help you. Come with me.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Follow me,” he led Paulette away from the woods. She followed him in a hypnotic state.
Chapter Eight
Presley dreamed of the same young lady dressed in a tight white corset and a lovely dark red petticoat. The pretty lady was playing a lovely tune on a piano. Her hands flew over the keys while her eyes were shut, her body swaying with the music.
≈≈≈≈≈
“Paulette! Paulette!”
Presley was awakened by Jesse’s screams. She hurried down from Gracie’s limbs as he ran between the trees searching desperately for her.
“What’s going on?” Presley yelled anxiously, her heart pounding.
“She’s gone!” he panicked his breathing
Paulette yelled up to them, “Hey, I’m ready for bed. You guys need to get down here."
Gracie slowly lowered Jesse and Presley back down to the ground.
“This tree’s too small for all of us and it’s probably better that someone keeps watch for Fiend and the others anyway,” he suggested.
“Who's gonna stay up to keep watch?" Paulette asked.
“I’ll stay up first. You two get some sleep. I’ll keep watch for a few hours and then we can rotate,” he said.
“Okay. Wake me up in a few hours and I’ll take over. Presley can take the early morning shift,” Paulette delegated.
“Sounds good to me,” agreed Presley.
Gracie whisked Presley and Paulette up and interweaved her branches to form a large cocoon like shape. It took awhile for Presley to get comfortable.
“Paulette, do you believe in love at first sight?” asked Presley.
Paulette didn’t answer. Presley looked over Paulette and saw that she was already asleep. Presley rolled over and fell asleep too.
≈≈≈≈≈
Jesse kept watch for nearly six hours. When he woke Paulette to take over, they were careful not to wake Presley.
Jesse stayed with Paulette on the ground, in fear that the Manes and Fiend would return. He knew that Gracie held special powers, but was still unsure of her exact abilities. He nestled himself up against Gracie’s trunk and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Paulette sat by the fire and began to think about her mother. She thought about all of the years that had gone by, and how much time she had missed with her family. So much of her life was lost forever. She never had the chance to marry or have children. She was never an ordinary teenager. She had never experienced a first kiss or love. She had missed out on everything. But most of all she missed her mom.
The fire was low so Paulette grabbed a log and tossed it in. Embers flew through the air and the smoke made her cough. She sat back down and stared into the flames. She began to see a faint outline of an object appear in the fire. As she peered closer the entity slowly became clearer.
It was her mother. She was sick and in a hospital, crying for Paulette.
Paulette shook her head and thought, Am I hallucinating? Am I going crazy? She shut and rubbed her eyes, and opened them again. The vision of her mother was still flickering in the fire. Paulette held her hands over her mouth and began to sob.
She inched closer and whispered, “I’m coming home Mom. I promise. I’m coming home."
The heat intensified and the flames grew higher. As the flames popped, Paulette jumped back as cinders leaped out at her.
Fiend emerged from the fire, enveloping the flames.
“Come with me, Paulette. I can help you go home. I’m the only one who can help you. You can’t make it back with the others,” he lured.
“What is happening with my mother? Is she sick?” she pleaded for an answer, as tears streamed down her face.
“Yes, she doesn’t have much time. If you wish to see her, then come with me now,” he said with a sinister tone.
“I don’t know,” Paulette said confused.
“This is your last chance. It’s now or never. Jesse will never be able to get you home. I’m the only one that can help you. Come with me.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Follow me,” he led Paulette away from the woods. She followed him in a hypnotic state.
Chapter Eight
Presley dreamed of the same young lady dressed in a tight white corset and a lovely dark red petticoat. The pretty lady was playing a lovely tune on a piano. Her hands flew over the keys while her eyes were shut, her body swaying with the music.
≈≈≈≈≈
“Paulette! Paulette!”
Presley was awakened by Jesse’s screams. She hurried down from Gracie’s limbs as he ran between the trees searching desperately for her.
“What’s going on?” Presley yelled anxiously, her heart pounding.
“She’s gone!” he panicked his breathing
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