We woke up in a verdure woodland setting. Of course, Claire was the last to wake up. "Wait, I just have one question, who are you.” I said to the teenager. 
 "I'm Oliver", He replied. 
 “Well, I'm Britan,” Britan replied.  
“We know ", We all said including Oliver. 
 “Well since were giving names I’m Claire the guy with the brown hair is Britan, the curly hair girl is Charlie, and we already know you.” Claire said with a snobby tone. 
 
 As we all were just starting a conversation when a weird breeze went by. It was warm, subtle, and felt like summer. When we all turned around it seemed so big. As we kept facing it shrunk until it reached a figure that was so adorable. It was baby blue with light pink stripes. The eyes were green sprinkled with stardust. The tail was mighty with a shard in the back. From our view it looked like a crystal shard.  
I picked him up and Claire freaked out. “Put it down immediately, it's dangerous” She shrieked. 
 This was the first time I had ever heard that tone from her. “Why should I”, I responded with an argumentized tone. “It's soft and cuddly and it seems too easy like a test," she said.  
As she said that the creature's eyes glowed a bright scarlet. The ground rumbled as a stampede of identical creatures came charging. “RUN” Britan Bawled. 
 We ran. We ran through the thousands of overpacked thorns and bulky bushes. We stopped abruptly at the end of the cliff. “What do we do.”, Cliff yelled.  
This was the first time in my life that I had to stop and listen to someone other than myself. “We should jump, trust me,” Claire said.  
I made a face. Why does she know something we don’t? I didn’t think about it too much because we were about to die, and I’m too young. So, we jumped down and to my surprise a void opened below us, and I noticed the stampede stopped as soon as they saw it. I feared where it would lead us and why Claire knew so much about this crazy absurd world.  
 
I closed my eyes and tried to think. Why is she so scared, we just got here. Why did she know so much? Why can’t I see anything? “Charlie wake, up wake up” A voice sounding like Oliver said. 
 When I finally opened my I said, "Where am I”, I said amazed.  
Claire made a face. “You know something we don’t, and I need you to tell me right now," I said. 
 “I don’t know honestly” She replied. 
 “You don’t know well you need to remember before you take a blast to the past when I knock you out” I yelled back 
. I stomped over to her, but Britan and Oliver held me back. “Let me go, tell the truth Claire.” I screamed.  
They looked at each other dumbly "Claire, what is she talking about " Oliver asked.  
“Yeah,” Britan agreed.  
She turned around and pointed at a tree and spoke “Look at the tree it’s twitching” 
 I was livid “stop trying to change the subj-No look” she interrupted.  
Everyone turned around to see a tree with majestic branches that spread out to the sky above. I yelled “we will talk about this later, but right now Run.”  
We ran for our lives once more, but one by one each tree glowed the same scarlet color as the fluffy creature.  
But for some reason, I felt like they weren't after us, at least not all of us, they were after Claire. I whispered to the other boys that we should stop and see how the trees move. We did and noticed it was still chasing her. “Guy’s why’d you stop.” Claire shrieked. 
 The tree’s died down at the sound of a bird call. 
 
A girl with purple hair and blue eyes with freckles said, “Hi I'm Thorn I can answer all ye questions and help ye in times of need.”  
We all looked at each other than Britan said, “Can someone please tell me what’s going on.” 

“I already told ye my name, what more do ye need", Thorn said blankly. 
 Oliver rolled his sleeves and said, “First of all we don’t know you second, we don’t know where we are, Third, we don’t know if we are going to die or not.” 
  Britain, Claire, and I looked at each other in awe, we didn’t know he had it in him. He was very sheepish most of the time. “Fine ye wants me to tell ye everything, well, Ye is in the Thriving Timbers. Also, ye is not going to die if ye follow my instructions. Yè also needs this.” She replied.  
She each handed us something. She handed Oliver a knife, Claire a healing potion, Britan a sword and shield and me a bow n arrow with a paper saying  
“Beware of those ye trust, 
So, protect ye friends ye must 
 Or else ye will soon be crushed 
Until all that is left is dust” 
I trembled at these words. What Thorn was talking about at the time I didn’t remember the Claire incident. What if we were going to die? What if it's even worse, what if it hurts our family?  
 
 So, I pulled her aside and said franticly, "Who is it, why aren't you telling me who is it.” 
 She made this zipper motion over her mouth. She only said, “figure it out” 
 My mouth dropped open. “How am I supposed to do that”  
She laughed and said, “Keep me safe” as she melted away into a map out of the forest. 
 “What,” I replied. 

I rushed back to the group in a hurry. I spread the map out on a piece of chopped wood. Everyone rushed over except for Oliver. “Can someone please help me read this it’s some foreign language," I spoke. “It’s Hebrew,” Oliver said. 
 “Huh," I replied. 
 “Hebrew, I’m Jewish so I know how to speak Hebrew.” 
 I looked at him confused. “Please read it” Claire said. 
 “Ok” he replied then said, “Follow the path but do not wander, and the appeal might be founder.”  
The map then showed a picture containing where were 
 
 
 
We all wondered why the path went off the trail. We did not question it though we wanted out. We followed it for what seemed like forever. It was only like three hours. We had to stop because Britan complained that one hair was out of line. He was such a baby, and I did not realize it. Of course, this meant he was not my crush anymore, but he was still the cutest guy in the world in my eyes. 
 
 Oliver is nicer, kinder, and sweeter. He is not a pain in the butt unlike Britan he has the audacity asks us to carry him like a baby dog. We all know he weighs more than a dog. Plus, I don’t like Oliver, he’s just cute and nice and he makes me alive. That’s it nothing else is happening, no feelings, Promise. 
 
We had to stop for three nights just so he could perfect his hair.  “Are you done?” I spoke. 
 He replied with “My hair needs to be at least decent just in case someone does a biography of me. I mean you look like you came off the last subway.”  
That was the rudest thing he had ever said. To me at least. Later on, I was just so mad because of overwhelming thoughts that when Claire tried to say something, I just blurted out, “Why are you so annoying. Why do you have to be here? Why do I have to be stuck with you? I don’t like you and it’s been hard enough without my family for a week so why don’t you just go back to your perfect life? Say hi to my mom for me.” 
 After that everything and everyone was silent. I felt bad but I was not going to admit that. After everyone left a tear ran down my face, then another, and another until I was stuck in a pool of my own tears. 
 
 
Afterwards I noticed Claire was not as preppy as she was at school, so my suspicions faded. She was roughing it. I walked to her after dinner to talk. “Why are you so preppy at school, but your cool here I’m sorry about my outburst I just miss home.” I spoke.  
She replied with, “Well, I feel I must be perfect at school because that was my reputation for the first week. I love the outdoors and I love getting dirty. I tell my siblings don’t read a book by its cover, but they do not listen to me, And I forgive you.” 

I had to think about this, and hard, this person had siblings, she doesn’t mind getting dirty in the mud. She was nothing that I thought she was. She was living up to the expectations of middle school, I felt bad for her, I had never thought about what popular people must go through. After that day we were not trying to rip each other's throats out. “People get more wood". Yelled Britan. 
 He was horrible. He had the ability to not remember any of our names. 
He acted like we were housekeepers. That was ridiculous. So, I did what any 8th grader would do, lash out. “Excuse me, but if you're going to demand us to do something at least remember our names". 
 He looked surprised but didn’t have enough time to say anything because Oliver said. “Yeah, she’s right you cannot boss them around like they are your housekeepers. She doesn’t have to serve you if you want wood get your own wood.” 
 My mind was racing. Does he like me, he was only referring to me, why did he stand up for me, why does he give me butterflies, why does he-”. My thoughts were interrupted by a rumble of the ground. 
 The map was shaking, Thorn was coming back. 
 
The map fell on the floor, and it was no longer a map, it was Thorn.  “I hope she can help us this time” Oliver said. 
 “Yeah, me too” I replied just so he’d notice. 
 “Hello fellers, life working out for you.” Thorn said. 
 We all gave her that look. Fine, fine I'll give ye more info. Ok, so ye are in trouble, the emperor heard you fellers wandering in her words.  “Her” Britan scoffed. 
 We all gave him the look. “What is wrong with you” I said. 
 Everyone nodded in agreement. He scoffed once again before he shut his mouth. 
 
I was still curious, so I asked, “What does she look like.” 
 She hesitated before she answered but when she did, she replied, “Well, you can’t see her face, but you can see her blue eyes beyond her mask.”  
 
That was a weird answer especially from her, but I didn’t think much about it because we still had a week's journey ahead of us.    
        

I went to bed early to avoid the drama. But when the moon was at its highest, I woke up to Oliver yelling, “Wake up Charlie, wake up.” 
 I opened my eyes slowly to see Oliver with a tank top on. Boy was it a sight. I looked around and didn’t see anything alarming, so I just responded, “What's going on.” 
 
“Oh, nothing I just needed an excuse to talk to you.” He spoke sheepishly. 
 
I blushed lightly. We walked to the ledge a few miles away from the tent. I was wondering why at the time, but it didn’t bother me. We walked to a nearby lake that was glistening in the moonlight. “It’s cold out here” I whispered.  
Seconds later a jacket was put on me. He was such a gentleman. “Thanks for this, all this "I said nervously.  
“Don’t mention it” he said in a shifted tone. 
I was moving, I wasn’t walking though; there were vines pulling me into the forest. 
“Help, help me Oliver” I shrieked. 
“I’m afraid I cannot do that” Oliver said in a voice that wasn’t his but familiar. 
 
He made movements with his hands and Oliver melted into a mysterious figure. It uncovered its hood slowly to uncover the Figure it was the emperor. You could see the shining blue eyes through the silver mask. The emperor slowly took the mask off to reveal its face. I was surprised by who it was. “Suprise” she said satisfied. 
 
“Wait a minute, Thorn” I exclaimed.

“No, it can’t be, why Thorn” I strained, as the vines gently pulled me in. 
 
Thorn rolled her eyes. “I don’t' care about you. Why do you think the trail went off the path? Why did I give you the poem? To make you not able to trust anyone. Now that you do, I need to remove the key to escaping." Thorn thundered. 
 
“Why us though we have not done anything. We don’t even know you so why us.” I cried.  
 
Well, I’ve been watching over you all of you for a while and I know your thoughts. You like Oliver and he likes you." She spoke. 
 
My eyes light up. “Oh, but what will he think when you're not there. I will just have to keep feeding him lies.” 
 
“What about the prophecy wasn’t that true "I shrieked. 
 
“Nope none of it” 
The vines were getting tighter as my anger grew. “Oh, I saw her abandon you last night, oh she said she was done with you guys, I think you get it.” 
 
“You wouldn’t dare” I yelled.  
 
The vines covered my mouth. “This is a listening activity. So yes, I will keep them here and eventually make them mindless drones.” She spoke. 
 
My screams were muffled by the vines getting hurtfully tight. “Oh, one more thing, you can be my towel girl once I rule overall.” 
After that I was pushed into the forest and could still hear her cackle.   The vines blocked all the visible exits. So, I could not escape. 
 
I wept, I cried, and there was even a small pool of my own tears. “How could I be so foolish; how could I not notice? She was obvious enough for me to know, but I was so caught up in Oliver liking me that she saw right through me.” I wept. 
 
I didn’t notice a group of Griffin-like creatures surrounding me, all with muzzles. They looked sympathetic. So, I poured my heart out, and they responded to me and told me their names. Then they replied, “I’m sorry for your troubles and I wish we could help you, but we were locked up with rope. Unfortunately, the empower put muzzles on us as you can see.” She was saddened by her own words. 
 
I thought for a moment, and then remembered I always bring a pocketknife with me, just in case of emergencies. “I could help you” I squealed.  
 
They rounded in a circle to talk. About five minutes later they all nodded, and I got to work. It took at least thirty minutes for me to finish but when I did. They flew as soon as I was done. For a second, I thought I was alone, but one came down and said, “Ready to kick emperor butt.” 
 
I nodded reluctantly as I got on his back, and we soared into the midnight sky. We flew past the shimmering bright stars. Right to the emperor's fortress. “Thank you so much for this, and I was wondering if you would help me fight her later. I said sheepishly. 
 
“Why dear,” cherry asked. 
 
“She’s after my friends and I want to catch her in the act” I replied boldly. 
“You don’t have to tell me twice” Blight yelled. 

We swerved into my campsite quietly like a mouse. When I got there, we all hid behind trees to see Thorn lying to their faces. I just snapped, so I walked out from behind the tree and yelled, “Thorn’s lying or should I say emperor Thorn.” 
 
“How did you get bac-I mean, I’m so glad you came back.” She spoke. 
“Save it Thorn, you tried to get rid of me, but I made new friends" I replied. 
The griffins came out from behind me and growled. “You’re a liar a liar." The lead griffin raged. 
 
Thorn looked around to see everyone staring at her. “Is this true Thorn,” Oliver said. 
Claire was crying, and Britan was still trying to process what was happening. “Yes, it is true, and I would’ve gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for Charlie.” 
“Hey, don’t disrespect her, she’s kind and prettier than you'll ever be.” 
 
She scoffed and I blushed, did he really think of me like that? Thorn pulled out a bottle filled with a scarlet substance, and the griffins backed away at that. “Thats right griffins I can take over your whole minds with just a snap.” Thorn snapped. 
 
“Leave them alone.” I spoke firmly. 
 
She didn’t listen to me and blew the dust towards the Griffins and their eyes turned scarlet. They moved coordinated, and it scared me. Blight was resisting until she wasn't. They were all under her influence. “Griffins, take them to the fortress.” She barked. 
One by one they picked us up and took us to the fortress. It was all making sense the day we landed, she knew she knew I was suspicious of Claire but why? We got to our cell. All of us were put together. It was so awkward until Claire spoke up and said, “I knew, I knew.” 
 
 
“What” Britan replied. 
 
“I knew about Thorn she threatened if I told her she would vaporize my family she used me as a pawn. She knew Charlie suspected the mole was me. So, I guess I am the mole in a way. "She sobbed. 
 
I was fazed. I knew it was her, but I thought it was of her free will not Thorns.  
“Hey quiet down” Blight said.  
 
I spit in her face. “Never, "I replied. 
Blight blinked back tears of scarlet. Blight stumbled. “What happened.”  
 
 “Water is the key to unleashing their power. So, let me ask you this: if I spray water on you, do you think you could resist Thorn? 
She responded, “Only temporally, if we make our way to the location where you discovered us, there is a stream that can provide a permanent solution to our problem. By drinking from it, we can break free from her grasp once and for all."  
 
I liked the plan, so I agreed. We flew to the place where I had found them previously. I was just gazing at the water, like a princess about to sing the most iconic song. When I turned around the same scarlet color drowned their eyes. 
I was frantic, so I twisted and turned, and got the buckets. I put each of the buckets right by me when I was done filling them up. One by one I splashed the water on the dragons. It wasn’t working. Soon after they’d dried, they cornered me like I was in the circus. “I’m not ready to die I'm not ready.” I shrieked.  
I closed my eyes in fear and heard laughter right in front of me. It was one of the dragons nudging me. I was dumbfounded. “I-I thought it didn’t work.” I spoke still shaking. 
“Oh, it worked but the Scarlet takes time to go away, were going to use it against the emperor.” One of the griffins spoke. 
 They put me back in the shackles, then flew us back to the castle. 
 When we got there, Thorn was stomping her foot repeatedly. "What took you so long, I've been waiting forever.” 
“Mam, this one was putting up a fight so we were delayed” Cherry replied as blankly as she could. 
 
Thorn looked me up and down, then finally said. “Very well bring her in.”  
She turned away firmly. “Blight my friends are still in there make an excuse or something" I whispered. 
 
 
She looked left and right and caught up to thorn, whispered something and Thorn nodded. “All clear," she whispered.  
Then we soared through the sky to the dungeons. We got there to see them sleeping. I had to shake the dungeon doors for them to wake up. 
 
“What I was sleeping” Britan said. 
 
“Ok, I can just leave you here c’mon Claire.” 
  
“No wait gets me out of here” 
 
“Ok your majesty” 
 
“Oliver, are you coming” 
 
“Yes, but can I talk to you really quick” 
 
“Oh, sure” 
 
I was prepared this time. The last time I was tricked so I prepared myself to run.  
 
“When Thorn said I liked you, she was not lying. You are everything to me you fill my heart with warmth an-.” 
I kissed him mid-sentence, my first. We were lost in the moment, enjoying each other's company. 
It did not last long because Claire spoke rudely, “Break up the love fest.” 
We quickly pulled apart, both blushing. We quickly hopped on the dragons and separated.   
My mind was fluttering on the ride back, but I quickly pulled myself together and thought about my plan.  
 
Soon we were ready....... 
 

We crept though the corridors as Cherry distracted Thorn with battle plans. I was enraged. I knew that we had to stay calm. 
 
As Claire and I were about to put our plan into action, I suddenly felt a strong grip on my arm. Turning to face the source of the sudden interruption, I saw Oliver standing there, his expression serious. "Don't die," he warned me, his voice laced with concern. 
 
With a beaming smile on my face, I hurried towards him, feeling my heart racing with excitement. As I wrapped my arms around him tightly, I could feel the warmth of his body against mine. He blushed so deeply that his cheeks turned a bright shade of scarlet, reminding me of my mother when she got too much sun on the beach. I could not help but think of her and how much I missed her in that moment 
I let go, not ready to, but went ahead to trap Thorn.  Me and thorn went to the nets we set up while thorn was away. We cut the rope and the last thing I heard was thorns shrieking. 
I woke up in the bathroom where we were in before. I was both relieved and sad I had left them behind. I walked out of the bathroom stall, but everything was the same, yet nothing was the same. 
I walked through the halls, and I weirdly saw fire in a way it was an illusion sort of thing. I saw Claire Oliver and Britan.  I tried to call out, but I could only hear muffles. 
I ran to hug them, but I went right through them.  
 
Their expressions were blank, and they were heading towards something bright. So, I went to see.  
 
I turned the corner to see thorns. 

I must have been dreaming and when I pinched myself, I confirmed my suspicions. I stared in awe, and I had to run, soon after they chased after me through the halls and down the stairs. 
 
 I found myself in a field, frantically trying to escape some unknown danger. As I stumbled forward, my eyes locked onto an otherworldly portal, shimmering, and flickering in the distance. My thoughts swirled with confusion and fear, but a voice in the back of my mind whispered urgently: "Jump." 
 
"Don't hurt," Someone covered my mouth. It was Claire. "Don’t talk," she whispered urgently. "They're interrogating her. She has lost her memory as planned, but if she sees us, we are done for it.  
 
I stayed quiet as they talked. She was being difficult so one of the dragons nudged her a little too hard and she fell. And so did her necklace. Thorns eyes changed. They weren't blue they were just pale green. She trembled “Where am I why am I here” she pleaded. 
She looked confused. I sure was. Was she tricking us again? I didn’t know. So, I went along with it. “Are you ok” I whispered 
 
She looked at me shaken. “No but you made me like this or at least someone who looks like you” still shaking. 
 
I was taken aback, “Me I would never.” 
 
I had to think was I the monster was I the bad guy. No, I couldn’t be.  
 
“No, not you, her”  
 
She pointed to Claire. But for some reason, Claire didn’t seem surprised. “Claire is this true” 
 
She looked down smiling. "You know, it's so easy to make someone believe anything, even you Charlie.” 
She looked at the girl and smiled. She reached out her hand, and the necklace that was on the girl glided to her hand. As soon as it latched on her neck a similar figure to thorn mutated in this calm blue dress.  
“Hello dearie” 
 
“Mrs. Rosky” we all yelled.  
 
“It is I "She calmly replied 
 
“But you're just a janitor” Britan yelled. 
 
Oliver was in shock, he was shaking.  
 
We couldn’t believe it. The janitor of all people Was Claire even here.  
 
“That explained how you knew about everything here the slip ups and you just covered everything up with a fake blackmail.” I said firmly. 
 
She scoffed approvingly, “Thats exactly what I did” she said in a brood tone. 
 
I heard two bangs, I turned to see both Britan and Oliver on the floor.  
 
Next thing I knew I felt a cold sharp feeling in the back of my head. 
 
 
TO BE CONTINUED......