The Tree House Mystery

Chapter 14

Ned goes away to find someone to help me get back to camp. I know he'll not be back anytime soon, because walking deeper and deper into the forest in search for beautiful wildlife clicks, we didn't realise how far we'd come.

So what do I do to while away the time? I don't feel like resting or sleeping at all, and even if I did, this persisting pain in my ankle wouldn't let me.

I couldn't sit still like that for half an hour though, so I decide to move around a bit. Correction: crawl around a bit.

Yes, in case you don't know, I'm not a very patient person. And who would want to rest and relax deep inside a forest when there's so much around you to explore and discover! So I change my position slowly but carefully, to crawl on my knees and hands like a one-year-old.

First, I make my way on the soft grass, to the hole that has become my enemy. Taking a closer look at it, I realise that the hole is very irregularly shaped, and its bottom isn't even visible.

This cavity in the forest floor doesn't seem very natural to me. I look around for a fallen branch or a long stick of wood, and after spotting one a few metres away, crawl over to it and back, proceeding to stick it down the cavity.

Whoa! Though the branch is about a metre and a half long, it doesn't touch any solid ground even when I insert its whole length into the hole. Twisting and turning it this way and that, I don't even find any walls of the cavity on its sides!

Strange. How did such a cavity appear in the level forest floor, deep inside the forest, and yet closer to its end (because I have some idea about its vastness and know I'm still not even close to the most dense, deep, and overgrown part of it)? The pain in my ankle is quickly forgotten as thoughts race through my mind faster and faster.

I have a hunch that this hole is wider than it appears. Crawling a few steps back, I pick up a stone the size of my fist and bang it against the ground next to the hole, repeatedly. Then, I bang it on the ground some distance away from it.

Yes! There is definitely a difference. The ground next to the stone seems like it's made of wood, while the ground away from it is harder, confirming the presence of mud and soil underneath it.

Curious now, I start digging the ground next to the hole, and after just half a minute, a small pile of grass and mud is lying on my side while my handiwork exposes wood underneath the mud I just removed.

I'm seriously excited now to see what it is under the wood, and what exactly is the wooden structure. Is it a trap-door kind of thing, leading to someplace underground? Or is it a treasure chest?

Okay, sorry; I was just kidding. Wow! So now I'm talking to myself and kidding myself. I'm in serious need of some company, or else I'll go mad with excitement! Talking of which, where is Ned? And by the way, how much time is it already? I check my watch and find that almost thirty minutes have gone by since Ned left me.

He'll be here soon, and with a lot of people too, I need to make most of the time I have, left. I resume the digging and use my hands too, to quicken my pace. In two minutes, I've cleared much of the area around the hole, of soil, grass and leaves, and discover that my guess might be right after all! The wooden structure is shaped like a circle while the hole my leg got trapped in, is smack in the middle.

It seems like a lid or an entry to an underground passage, but the ends are tightly stuck to the soil all round it and I can't get it open, pull as hard as I might. I shift myself into a more comfortable position for a moment, to think how to proceed next, when I hear shouts of my name in the distance, coming closer.

Oops...everyone will be here in about a minute!! Well, I don't want to share my discovery with anyone else, at least not for the moment, so I hastily grab mud and grass from the now taller pile on my side, and sprinkle it all evenly on the wooden entrance. The task is completed seconds before Ned, with Jack and Evan by his side, along with Ms. Bella and Mr. Craig just a few paces behind them, runs into the clearing.

By then I'd gone back to leaning my back on the tree trunk, jut as Ned had left me, and when Ned came back to my side, I smiled at him.

"Oh dear, I hope you're not very hurt! How are you feeling?" Ms. Bella asks.

"I'm much better now, Ms. Bella, thank you. The rest helped the pain to subside quickly." I half-lie.

By now, some more students have reached the clearing and among them are Jade, Raquelle and Robert. The girls' faces are full of concern, and I give them both a reassuring smile as Ned and Mr. Craig help me stand up.

"Can you walk, Ashlee?" Mr. Craig enquires.

Holding onto Ned's shoulder, I inch forward. Yes, I am able to walk! The pain has returned somewhat now that I'm standing, but it is not that sharp and I can walk fine, limping just a bit.

"Let's get back to camp, boys and girls! We'll decide what to do once we're there, and Ashlee's got First-Aid." Ms. Bella declares.

Our procession moves back from the clearing toward the camp site, at a snail's pace, with me leading in the front, supported on either side by Ned and Mr. Craig (in case I lose control and fall suddenly—which is so not going to happen, because I'm not so fragile and have perfect control over myself!), followed by Ms. Bella and the boys right behind me, and the girls behind them.

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Hi! I know, I know—long time no chapter update! :P

I'm SORRY! Various reasons for the extremely late update, regarding school and what not; and even now I can't promise a sooner update as unit tests are about to start in school.

Anyway, enjoy this chapter and brace yourself for the oncoming doses of adventure! Happy Reading! ;)

Be sure to (vote)/(comment)/(inbox me). :)

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