Chapter 11

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The subtle shakes of the pear cart finally rocked Alex and Conner to sleep. If they hadn't been so exhausted from the previous restless night and eventful day, the shock of discovering the glass slipper in their possession would have kept them up all night. 

The next morning, they awoke just as the cart was arriving at the northern village it was destined for. The first thing Alex did when she awoke was to make sure the slipper was still in her tight grip as it had been when she'd fallen asleep. She couldn't let go of it; she was afraid that if it wasn't in her hands at all times, it might disappear just as easily as it appeared. 

The mystery of how it had gotten into her bag was still the most prominent thing on their minds. 

"Do you think it was magic?" Conner asked Alex. "Maybe the slipper knew we needed it and transported itself into your bag?" 

"I've read enough fantasy books to know that that's a possibility," Alex said. "And after everything we've been through, I wouldn't be surprised. But the point is, we have it now. It's one less item we have to collect, so let's focus all our energy into getting ahold of Red Riding Hood's basket. "She wrapped a blanket around the slipper for safekeeping and stored it in her bag. 

They didn't want any unwanted attention from carrying it around. 

"I hope Cinderella or Lampton don't send soldiers after us once they realize it's gone," Conner said. 

Alex hadn't thought about that. What if, as they were speaking, Lampton was putting together a band of soldiers to find them and take them into  captivity? 

"Then we'll tell him the truth and worry about it when it happens," Alex said. "But let's keep moving in the meantime." 

There didn't appear to be any roads or paths on the map that went to the Red Riding Hood Kingdom, so the twins were forced to travel straight through a forest of elm trees to get there. 

Alex read from the journal as they walked.

As everyone knows, the Red Riding Hood Kingdom is surrounded by a tall wall to keep out the wolves. There are guarded entrances into the kingdom along the perimeter of the wall.

''So we'll find the wall, find an entrance, and be inside the kingdom in no time," Alex said.

"What if they don't let us inside?" Conner asked.

"I can't imagine why they wouldn't let us in," Alex asked. "But if they don't, this time let me do the talking."

An hour or so of walking later, the twins could see the wall surrounding the kingdom in the distance. It was massive. It was thirty feet tall and made from enormous gray bricks. The same warning sign was posted on the wall every few feet or so:

WOLVES BEWAREBY C.R.A.W.L. DECREE AND APPROVED BY THEHAPPILY EVER AFTER ASSEMBLY,WOLVES OF ANY KIND, BREED, OR COLORARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED FROM ENTERINGTHE RED RIDING HOOD KINGDOM.ALL TRESPASSERS WILL BE KILLEDAND TURNED INTO RUGS, COATS, OR DECORATION.YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.NOW BEGONE.

"Wow," Conner said. "The wolves are definitely not getting in there."

They walked beside the wall for another couple of hours but never found an entrance. Alex reread the journal and found a part that she had missed.

There is a north entrance, a south entrance, an east entrance, and a west entrance. Each has its own path that goes to the center of the kingdom, where the town is. There is only one town in the Red Riding Hood Kingdom; the rest is farmland.

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