Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Green (10/22/09)
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TITLE: Marathon in the Gaoshia Forest | Previous Challenge Entry
By Janeil Harricharan
10/29/09 -
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That’s what Elizabeth had been telling her. Her sister’s words rang in Glenn’s head as she stumbled through the dimly-lit forest of tall trees. Her somewhat pale skin contrasted with her black hair that was in a bun on the back of her head. A dark green dress spots with a full and somewhat bouffant skirt seemed to blend into the dark foliage around her, the effect even more convincing with the little white spots as a pattern design that covered her garment. A white well-worn apron covered the front of her clothing; she looked like she was about in her mid-thirties.
Glenn skidded to a stop on a tiny patch of soil, nearly falling flat onto her face. She could feel her chest heave beneath her somewhat restricting corset, feeling stifled for the air that needed to be in her lungs. Bending over for a few seconds, she continued her sprint.
Time was of the essence. She would have rather taken her time and gotten to the center of the forest without the trouble she was putting through her. But the image of a poor shivering boy that she and Elizabeth had found on the streets, ignored and neglected. He was only about seven; his life hung by a thread. Elizabeth searched their small ingredient shop of spices and other exotic ingredients for a cure, while Glenn had decided to rush off to the Gaoshia forest to pick a few items from a special spot that she had visited frequently.
Glenn could see the area coming up, the area darkened even more by a cluster of massive trees that were hundreds of feet tall. Moss covered stone pillars marked a rough gate to several small piles of decaying wood and leaves, mixed with rich soil. Each pile had a cluster of plants or mushrooms growing in each one. More mushrooms and some vines clung to the side of the colossal trees that sheltered them. A few slivers of golden sunlight bathed the plants, the mushrooms left in the darkness.
Glenn knelt down so fast that her skirts ballooned out around her. Her frantic fingers trembled in stress as she picked some berries off of one of the plants, and dislodging some of the mushroom stalks. Some of these were only potent right after picking and did not keep. Her eyes fell upon of the kind of mushrooms that lingered in the darkness, giving off a bright green glow. They were special to this forest, and had certain properties to bind multiple ingredients together. She plucked an entire clump of the tiny fungi and gathering what she collected, slipped them into her apron pockets and stood to her feet, leaving the area and starting back to the small village, gathering up her bulky dress in large handfuls and breaking into a staggering run.
The image of the boy lingered in her head, the look of anguish and pain on his face. It gave her hope as she could feel her heart pound. Branches smacked her in the face as thornbushes snagged her clothing. Her lacy white petticoats were now speckled by dirt and mud, her stockings torn in different places. Perspiration seeped from her skin as her legs wanted to give out, strands of hair beginning to become undone from her bun.
Within fifteen minutes, Glenn had burst into the door of the small shop and up the stairs in the back, to a small empty room. The boy lay on a small cot, Elizabeth on a chair next to him.
She got up and caught Glenn, sitting her down in the chair. Her auburn hairstyle was similar to Glenn’s, her clothing of a baggy white blouse, a brown vest, a dark teal skirt that swished with her every step, a striped brown apron in her hands dabbing Glenn’s forehead.
“Lizzie…” Glenn struggled with her apron pockets. Elizabeth emptied them quickly, scooping up the precious commodities and quickly leaving the room to mix them together.
Glenn slowly began to regain her bearings as she took a drink of water from a pitcher next to her, and then climbed onto the bed next to the boy, not caring to arrange her skirts properly.
The boy struggled to look at her with half-closed eyes, moist with tears. “I’m scared, miss.”
“Shh…” Glenn slowly cradled the boy in her arms, muzzling his head and holding him tightly. “You’ll be fine. I promise.”
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I think I wanted to know more of the boy. I hope you add to this story. Maybe it's the beginning for your novel.Keep writing!