Chapter Eleven

"Linda, I heard there's an abandoned playground at the back of the school. Do you want to go check it out?".

"I'm not sure, that place is also forbidden for students. Only the principal and the nurses have access to it" Linda said and picked up a book, "Thanks for getting me this book... Ghost tales, it's pretty interesting".

"Yeah yeah but who bans a playground? I get that the swings and what not might be rusty and unstable but even so..."

"That's all the more reason we shouldn't go to 'check it out'. It might be really dangerous".

"So you want me to just stay here, doing nothing? I don't think I can" Cassie said heading to the door.

"Wait, where are you going?".

"Where do you think I'm going? See you later" She said and walked out.

Linda took a deep breath, "She never listens".

Night was fast approaching and Cassie was yet to return. This made Linda really worried.

"Where in the world is she? Did she get caught? Is she hurt? What if she's in danger?" Linda paced around the room with all kinds of thoughts running through her head. The both of them might be in trouble if Cassie misses curfew. Linda took out a black hoodie and headed for the abandoned playground. When she got there, she didn't even see a single soul.

"Cassie?" She called, "Are you here?".

She kept on calling Cassie's name but she received no response. She came across an old rusty door. She touched the handle so she could open it but it fell off.

"Cassie? Are you in there?" She asked peeping through the keyhole.

"Linda? Help!" Cassie called from the other side. Linda immediately kicked the door open and walked in. She found herself in a long dark passage that slowly faded into a bright garden. The trees all bore brightly colored fruits and the leaves whistled to the tune of the wind. She came across a black fruit that caught her eye. She plucked it and put in her pocket. She also noticed some herbs that she had seen before in the general hospital. Was this why the playground was banned? Because it had a secret passage?

Linda felt someone touch her and immediately turned back. She saw herself looking at a really weird creature with green and blue eyes and her dress was made with green leaves and bright and beautiful flowers.

"What are you? A black blood? A white blood?".

"Neither. I'm the guardian of the ancient garden of Zulae. What brings you here?".

"I'm looking for my friend Cassie. I think she's in here".

"I see. Your friend is currently undergoing her test and so will you".

"Test? What test?".

"A test that'll determine if you'll live or not. You see you two aren't the only ones to stray in here and you two won't be the first to die as no one has ever made it out alive" The guardian spirit said to Linda, her face slowly turning dark, "You see my garden thrives on the blood of you weird creatures. What do you say? You think you can pass my test?".

"Give me what you got".

"Love your confidence level. You're friend was lucky enough to pass this first test. Do you think you can?".

"Yes".

"Good. Why don't we take a walk as I ask you a few riddles?". Linda nodded and followed the guardian spirit.

"First riddle. I grow without being nurtured and I bear fruit without being planted. What am I?". Linda paused and started thinking hard.

"Uh... You are... You are gossip!". The spirit smiled and continued.

"I speak without a mouth and I hear without ears. I have no body but I come alive with the wind. What am I?".

"Wait a minute" Linda said and heard her words echo. She looked around and made a sound that echoed too and a thought immediately came to her.

"Echo! You're an echo!".

"Smart, I'll give you that. Now for the third riddle. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?". Linda stared into space and looked down. She noticed her footprints and immediately said "Footsteps!".

"Well we can all agree that one was easy now on to the next one. I have keys but open no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter but you can't go inside. What... Am... I?".

"Keys? Space? Enter? I think I have an idea. You are... You are a keyboard!". The spirit's smile slowly faded and they arrived at a pool.

"Now for the last riddle. The more you look at me, the more I appear. The less you look, the faster I vanish. What am I?".

Linda gazed into the pool and sees her reflection. She takes a few steps back and a few steps forward.

"You are reflection!".

"Great job, great job. Now onto the next task". The spirit said and they arrived at a rare type of flower.

"This is a celestial flower and your task is to make it bloom". Linda gazed upon the flower trying to remember what she read about them. According to the encyclopedia of mythical plants, celestial flowers are sensitive and secretive for they can't unlock their secrets(bloom) unless you share with it a heartfelt memory.

"Hi celestial flower. My name is Linda and I must say that you are really pretty. I get you are a bit shy and hesitant about opening up to people, so am I. I've been having nightmares lately where I see my sister, Lisa. She... I... I killed her, I didn't want to, I just... She wanted to hurt an innocent person and I couldn't help it. I can't help but blame myself for not being a better sister" Linda said as a tear dropped from her eye and touched the flower. The flower slowly opened till it bloomed.

"Well done. What a touching story. Now moving on to the next challenge. That tree over there is a luminescent orchid and unlike the celestial flowers,it doesn't need pity stories for it to bloom. Your task is to make it bloom in radiant colours. Do you think you can do it?". Linda nodded and walked over to the tree.

"If it's the opposite of the celestial flower which requires sad memories to bloom then this orchid will require happy memories to bloom" Linda said to herself.

"Hello there, I'm Linda. I don't have a lot of happy memories but I do have one that lights me up whenever I think of it. It was when I was in sixth grade. I was always getting bullied because of my insane acne breakout. One day the whole class surrounded me and called me names but a girl walked up to me and told all of them off and helped me up from the floor. She said her name was Cassie. Before I could get the chance to tell her mine, she ran off to meet her mom but I'm happy that I finally met her again even though she might not remember me, I'm happy that we're closer than ever and I got to tell her my name this time" Linda said with a bright smile on her face. The luminescent orchid responded to her genuine feelings by creating a vibrant display of colours that illuminated the garden.

"You keep on disappointing me with your awesomeness. Now for the last task, your friend is trapped in one of this mirrors. You can only get her out by throwing a stone at the right one. Whereas if you throw a stone at the wrong one, she'll be trapped in there for all of eternity and I'll be able to use your blood to water my garden".

Linda picked up a stone and her hand began to quiver. There were three mirrors in front of her and she had no idea on which was the right one. She aimed at the left but she hesitated.

"Why don't you give up. I can offer a deal. You give up and I set you free but your friend stays for my personal use. It's really lonely talking to plants all day or you give up and your friend leaves but you stay, what do you think?".

"I'll go for neither!" Linda said and threw the stone at the middle one. She stepped back as the mirror cracked into pieces. She saw a figure approaching from it. She looked closely and saw it was Cassie.

"Linda!" Cassie rushed over to Linda and embraced her tightly, "Thanks for coming over to help me".

"Of course. That's what friends are for".

"I see you two will be the first to make it out of here alive. Now follow that door, it'll lead you to where you belong" The guardian spirit said and turned away. Cassie and Linda held each other's hands as they opened the door and walked in. They suddenly found themselves in their room.

"I thought I'd lose you" Linda said to Cassie.

"Me too". The both of them embraced each other again with a smile.