Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there was a magical forest. A forest that time could hardly grasp, filled with all sorts of creatures and characters. Once such character, was a little girl known as Rehd. She and Wolfe (her bestest pal in the whole wide woods) had gone on many travels together through the magic land: Making friends, having picnics, all the little things a bean shaped entity and her four-legged companion could do.
Life was good, great even, until one day a terrible smog began to seep its way into the forest, making many of the forest-dwelling inhabitants sick. When it began exactly, Rehd wasn't sure, but she knew one thing: The air smelled gross, the rivers and streams had became slimy and gray, and the sky had become unreadable. Not a star in sight. What a terrible time, Rehd had thought to herself, how can we have a picnic in conditions like these? Packing up their things, Rehd declared to the wolf, “ We will have to go to Grandma's. Surely, she will know how to fix this, and maybe we can have a picnic there too.”
So off Rehd and the wolf went, deep into the magic woods on their way to Grandma's house. With plenty of time to be lost in thought, Rehd realized she hadn't been to Grandma's in ages. Wolfe had never been to Grandma's at all. Which meant that Grandma would be baking cookies. Grandma always baked cookies for new friends, and Wolfe was indeed a new friend. Rehd thought to share this sentiment with the wolf, but they didn't get much further before they heard a rumbling and a grumbling. A rumbling and a grumbling and a bumbling and- “What is making all that noise?!” Rehd exclaimed, quite fed up with the bumbling, jumbling and whatever other noises the woods didn't normally make.
It turned out to be a bunch of big ol' trees coughing up a storm and making a commotion. It was hard to talk to Wolfe like this. So, in an effort to get them to stop, Rehd asked what was wrong. “It's all this smog!” An evergreen grumbled. “First the lumbermen, now this! Can't live in peace anymore!” A weeping willow wailed. “Lumbermen?” Rehd. She hadn't seen a single one on the way here, but that would certainly explain the lack of branches and shrubs typically crowding this trail. Rehd was secretly grateful for the lumbermen's work but said nothing. That would be bad, and Rehd is not bad. “Yes, lumbermen!” birch tree barked “Have you been living under a rock??” Rehd was quickly reminded why she started talking to these grumpy old trees to begin with. “No, we live in a house. But we are going to Grandma's to stop this smog since the forest is so unhappy.” Rehd said. The trees seemed to like the sound of that, nodding and murmuring amongst each other, breeze whistling through their branches. “Well then, you'll be needing this.” The trees bestowed upon her a magic stick to aid her in her travels. Rehd couldn't fathom why, but she'd had enough talking with these trees to bother asking. So, with that, she bid them farewell.
As they reached the edge of the woods Rehd and the wolf were greeted by a series of cliffs, which was expected. She knew the magic woods quite well. What she didn't expect however, was the bridge to be missing. Where is the bridge? She thought to herself.Surely the lumbermen didn't take that as well. Looking out into the distance to see if she can catch a glimpse of its remains, Rehd spotted Grandma's house. Thick smoke rose from the chimney, which meant she was home.“Well, that's one good thing at least,” Rehd said to the wolf, “Grandma will be there to greet us.” But the wolf's attention was elsewhere, gazing out at the body of water nearby. It didn't have its usual sparkle; Sluggish and dull, she couldn't imagine how its denizens were faring. Must be due to the smog , Rehd thought.
But neither of them had the equipment to go check, so Rehd tucked it in the back of her mind for another day. She would go back, because it would be bad if she didn't. And Rehd is not bad.“Wolfe, there's nothing we can do about it now, but Grandma can help us fix it later.” Understanding, the wolf reluctantly pulled away from the view of the water, back to Rehd. She was at the cliff edge then, peering over at the rocky crags below.“I'm not sure where the bridge has gone so we'll have to descend.” And for once she'd been unsure of what lied in wait for them; She'd never crossed without the bridge before. But if it was the only way to Grandma's then they would do it. And so, they jumped.
Rehd remembered making this trip many times in the past, but it seemed different now; It wasn't the lack of the bridge, or the magic dust that surrounded her parachute-shaped cape that evoked this. The smog had thickened to a choking fog, and the water had an odious stench radiating from its surface that only increased as they grew closer. Gliding over the menacing boulders beneath them Rehd thought to herself, Surely Grandma can fix this. And surely, she has nose plugs. After a few minutes more, they landed upon the shore. The two travelers were immediately assaulted with not only the stench of tainted waters, but sand that was littered with garbage: Plastics and glasses of every kind. It looked more like a landfill than a beach. They trudged along, assessing the damage. It was bad. So bad that Rehd began to wonder just how Grandma was going to fix it at all.
But her thoughts were interrupted then by a sharp snag of her cape.“Hey!” Rehd yelped. “Don't hey us! You're not welcome here!” a voice shouted. Fangs bared; the wolf began seeking out the voices amidst the shifting veil of sand. Rehd and the wolf must've looked quite silly spinning in circles like that, because after a few moments the initial voice reappeared in front of them. “Oh, for crying out loud, down here giants!” Standing before them was… an apple crab? The wolf immediately pounced where the crab was standing, only to be met with a face full of sand. Popping back up through the sand behind them the crab snapped, “Can you not? We've had enough of you and your pets! Get off our beach!” Rehd was very confused. This was their first time here today. “What are you talking about, I haven't been here all day!” Rehd exclaimed. The crab scurried up to the both of them angrily. “Don't act like you don't know about the robots and the nets and the-” Another crab appeared then, whispering something to the chatterbox before them.“Oh.”
There was a moments pause before the crab simply said,“I have been informed that wasn't you guys, but rather another awful giant that looks just like you. Anyway, get off our beach. We're not accepting visitors at this time.” Rehd does not like this crab's tone. Wolfe could eat him and Rehd would not care. But that would be bad. And Rehd is not bad, so she says instead,“We're just passing through. We're on our way to Grandma's to stop the smog, and this.” She gestures at the sand. And suddenly what feels like a hundred eyes are on her, peeking out of the sand. “You mean that?” The crab says. “Yes” Rehd replies.
“Well since you've so kindly offered to help us crabs in our time of need, I suppose we'll help you as well.” Suddenly, there's a rumbling under the sand, and a giant claw made of crabs descends upon a startled Rehd and offers to her a shell-shaped shield. For what reason, Rehd cannot possibly fathom, but she accepts, and the crowd of crabs lying in wait beneath the sand for them now wildly cheers and carries the would-be heroes off across the beach, until they reach the end of its dunes.
With all the commotion that'd gone on that day, Rehd was grateful for the quiet stretch of land they found themselves engulfed in. She was less grateful however, for the lack of any maps or trail signs telling them where to go. Or maybe she just couldn't find them because of the smog. I really wish someone hadn't stolen that bridge. Rehd thought. Then we wouldn't have rounded this giant skull four times. Standing by it for the fifth time, Rehd thought it looked awfully...realistic; Unlike the hollowood decorations Grandma had assured her they were before. But that couldn't be right. Grandma wouldn't lie, would she? Rehd moves to ask Wolfe, but of course she's interrupted by an ear shattering blast not too far away.“I've had enough of this Wolfe, we're going to Grandma's.” Rehd grumbles.
They get lost twice more before they finally make it to Grandma's house. The biggest log cabin in the woods. Bounding up the porch stairs Rehd exhales a breath of relief. “We made it” she breathes. The wolf doesn't share the same enthusiasm. There were way too many bones in that yard. Unafraid, Rehd waltzes in the front door. There's a loud, “who goes there?” before Grandma herself appears. “It's me, Rehd” the little traveler announces boldly. With a toothy grin, Grandma welcomes Rehd with open arms. But as she does, the wolf slinks in behind her. “I've bought a friend,” Rehd says, “his name is Wolfe.” But Grandma quickly rises, shotgun in hand. “That's no friend of ours Rehd.” She fires, but the wolf leaps out of the way, zig zagging through the cabin with each blast. Rehd's protests and pleas go unanswered; tables tumbling across the room. Grandma finally pens the wolf into a corner, both of Rehd's snarling friends. But when it's time to make a choice, her shell-shield rises against the killing blow for the wolf. Rehd was not bad, but she was certainly mad, and so she waved her magic sword and with a zippity-zap, Grandma disappeared. The wolf was safe.
The wolf was safe from Grandma now, wherever she was. They'd looked all around, but she must've actually disappeared.“I should've asked those trees what the magic would be.” Rehd says. “Remind me to ask them on the way back Wolfe.” Looking across the mounts on the wall, Rehd thinks to herself, So much for Grandma helping the woods. The wolf sits at her boots now, looking up at Rehd expectantly. “Yes, yes, I know we told everyone we'd find a way to stop the smog. But I don't think Grandma can help us now.” Wolfe trots away, dragging something from behind a tossed table. Picking it up Rehd realizes it's a map of the magic woods. And Grandma was only a small piece of a very big puzzle.“Wolfe, we have a lot of work to do if we're gonna stop this smog.” But she folds up the map and puts it away. “But first, we're having that picnic.” And with that, they absolutely do.
Fin
