The forest grew over and around each other. A short dirt path was laid out, but from the growing grass and weeds popping up, it was clear it hadn’t been used much before. Vine wrapped around the branches that hung down close to the ground, intertwining with many different bushes and taller plants.
Lacey let her mouth hang open as she looked up at the sight she’d never seen before. Growing up in a city with only a few trees to decorate the sidewalks, a forest was something Lacey could have only imagined in her dreams.
Truth chuckled from beside her, tapping her bottom chin with a pleasant smile attached to his face. He looked at her fondly, inquisitively. “Keep your mouth open that wide and bugs will fly in it.”
The thought had never crossed her mind before and her face went pale, her eyes wide in terror as she pressed her lips together. Leo laughed, and Lacey hit him on the shoulder. Truth watched the two teenagers playfully fight for only a few passing moments before he placed a hand on Lacey’s shoulder and pulled her a step back from Leo.
“We should continue,” he said.
Leo stepped forward next to Lacey. He pulled at her shirt and she stepped next to him until their bodies were touching. A hint of a glare was on his face. “Haven’t you ever heard of the expression make haste slowly?”
Truth rolled his eyes. “It’s not the time for petty jealously.”
Leo flinched at his words, and Lacey glanced upward to study his face.
“You can only move slowly if you’re moving. We’ve been here too long. It’s time to move on.”
Lacey looked over her shoulder. She could see the mountains that stretched into the clouds. The sight had already become familiar and she nodded her head. “If we become familiar with something, we’ve stayed too long.”
“Exactly,” Truth said. He extended out his hand to the forest. “Shall we proceed?”
“Aren’t you leading?”
“I don’t know where to go. Only you two can make it out of this forest. My role is to simply follow.”
.
Taking Leo’s hand, Lacey pulled at him as she took hesitant steps forward. He pulled back some of the foliage for her and she stuck right next to him, holding his hand like her life depended on it. Though she was scared, a sense of curiosity washed over her and she moved her head back and forth as she took in the sight of the forest around her.
She looked to the side where she saw a colorful bird and pointed, tugging at Leo’s hand until he looked to where she was pointing. Something cracked behind her, but so immersed in what she was looking at, she didn’t hear anything.
Truth walked right behind her. He placed both his hands on her shoulders and pushed her two steps forward. Not expecting the sudden contact, she gasped and stumbled forward. Leo pulled at her arm, and Truth held her up.
He smiled gently at her, and pushed a branch away with his hand. On the branch was a red ooze. It bubbled as the branched moved.
“Be careful,” Truth said. “These things are slime. The red kind are acidic. They’ll burn your flesh right off, so don’t touch them.”
Lacey nodded, gulping. “Noted.”