Save me a Story – Trouble

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Trouble

Gathering at the edge of the woods, Ronald and his band of antagonists stopped to assess the situation. 

Also gathered, not far away, at the edge of the woods, I sat with the protagonists discussing our next step.

Neither of us was aware of the other. 

———

Ronald’s group was discussing what to do next. They had passed a boulder on their travels through the woods with an inscription on it. It said:

Beware the eyes that hold your gaze

They’ll fill your mind with naught but haze.

The island that you all must seek

Holds all the ones of which you speak

Where people lived before, now gone

Together you must head forlorn.

“Does anyone know what that last line means?” questioned Ronald. “Doesn’t the word forlorn mean sad? Why should we head somewhere being sad?”

“Forget that line; We need to find the bloody island,” Hook shouted. 

“Why bother?” cried Cinder’s stepmother, “They’re all probably dead anyway. Can’t you read it says ‘now gone’? Do we want to end up just like them?”

Coyote, ever the trickster, said, “We need to find a way to trick the being responsible for all this. Then we can find our own way ahead.”

The white witch suggested, “Why don’t we just set a trap and see who falls into it? I can rustle up some nice Turkish delight and get them under my spell.” 

There were more suggestions from most of the other members of Ronald’s so-called team, but no resolution was found.

Ronald, on the other hand, did come up with an idea. “Why don’t we just go forward and see what happens? I’m sure if we do that, we will run into my friend, and I’ll be able to figure it all out. What could possibly go wrong?”

Ronald’s comment made as much sense as everyone else’s, which is usually the case with Ronald’s ideas, at least with ideas he shares with me. And that usually doesn’t end up well…for me. But, like Ronald, thinking of anyone but themselves was not one of their priorities, so they all began moving out of the woods.

———–

Meanwhile, my group discussed Fox’s message and a possible strategy to deal with this powerful witch.  

“First, we need to know what we’re up against,” said the Marquis’ cat. 

“We know she’s a witch of sorts, and it was suggested that we don’t look at her when interacting,” I replied.

Jack added, “But we still need to find the island the fox spoke of.”

“We’ve almost gone as far north as we can go,”  Peter said, “Maybe I should fly ahead and see if I can find it.”

“I’m not sure, you going alone is a good idea. We don’t know what’s out there. Let’s go a little further together, and if we don’t see anything, we’ll try your idea.” I suggested.

They all agreed with my idea, and we began to move out of the woods. 

———–

Departing the woods, it didn’t take long for both groups to catch the eyes of each other. And that’s when the trouble began.

Without any hesitation, before I could stop them, both groups started to run at each other. Ronald’s group called out the names and attributes of the characters in my group. My group doing the same as theirs. A few of our group stayed back. None of their group stayed back, except for one person…Ronald. 

Having seen me, Ronald circled around the approaching melee and headed toward me.

“What are you doing here?” I shouted. 

“I was sent here by some woman and the caretaker of Selat to bring you help,” he replied, “and here it is.

“THIS IS HELP?” I screamed.

“I wasn’t told what kind of help to bring you, but this is what I found. I believe my job is done. By the way, any idea on how I get back home?”

I had no time for Ronald’s foolishness, I had more significant problems now. “Just go back the way you came from. I’m sure someone will help you.”

“That makes sense.” And saying that, Ronald turned and returned to the woods the way he came. 

Looking over the scene unfolding before me, I turned to the Pied Piper with no other alternative and asked if he could play a calming tune. 

He took out his flute, put it up to his lips, and whatever music came out of it, I didn’t hear, but all the combatants did. They all seemed to follow the music to where we were. They sat down and proceeded to fall asleep.

Continued in…Unity?