The Day She Had To Leave Woodpine

By P Hadassah Joyce Pushpa

In the bright and sunny village of Woodpine lived two best friends: Fade Lily Nor and Spruce Moss.

Lily's house was next to Spruce's house.

Spruce went to Lily's house and knocked on the door.

Lily opened it.

"Ah, Spruce!" She said.

"Shall we go to the marketplace now?" Spruce said.

"Ja! We will—I do need some leeks."

"Let's go!"

They walked a few steps, and reached the Greenflo River.

They walked over the bridge, through the streets, and finally came to the marketplace.

"Whoa! There's a lot of people here today!" Spruce exclaimed.

"There always will be," Lily smiled.

"Okay, first let's get some vegetables," Spruce said, and they walked to the vegetables section.

Lily saw a group of people there. She somehow got through the people.

"Hoeveel kost dit?" She said to the person selling potatoes.

"Dit kost 2 euros," The person said.

"Okay," Lily handed 2 euros to the person.

"Oh, Spruce!" She walked to him. "I got the potatoes—"

"And the leeks," Spruce smiled. "I got the leeks."

"Oh, let's go get the onions and carrots," Lily went to get them.

Spruce stood. The sellers were telling the price, the people were taking the vegetables and fruits (some were bargaining, too).

Spruce saw that it got a little cloudy.

Lily ran towards him.

"Oh, Spruce!" She said. "The carrots cost 3 euros and the onions 4 euros!"

"Oh!" Spruce exclaimed. "Well, maybe that's why—" He looked at the sky.

"Look!" He said. "It's cloudy. It looks like it's about to rain now."

"It does," Lily said. "So let's go home."

They walked home.

They came to the bridge over the River Greenflo. They started to walk when—

"Aaah! Spruce, it's drizzling!" Lily said.

"Ja!" Spruce said, and they started to run.

They ran over the bridge, and came into Spruce's house.

"Oh, whew!" Spruce brought towels.

"Spruce," Lily said. "I guess I'll go home after the rain dies down."

Just then, it started to rain harder.

***********

There was a knock on Lily's door.

"Oh, no," Lily mumbled. "Who's it now?"

She went downstairs and opened the door.

It was Spruce.

"Oh, Spruce," She said sleepily. "What are you doing here this early in the morning?"

"Early in the morning?!" Spruce asked with surprise. "Lily, it's ten o'clock in the morning!"

"H-Huh?" Lily looked at the clock. "Oh, my! Never mind, why'd you come here?"

"Well, you know Conifera, our friend, don't you?"

"Uh, ja," Lily wondered where this was going.

"And you know Magnolia, Conifera's sister, don't you?"

"Um, ja; I do."

"And you know that we've helped them grow crops, right?"

"Wait," Lily said. "Is it harvest time yet?"

"Uh," Spruce grinned. "As a matter of fact, yes! Today we will go and help them reap the crops!"

"Oh, yes!" Lily smiled. "I'll come too! Just let me eat breakfast."

"Alright." Spruce went back to his house.

Conifera and Magnolia were Spruce and Lily's friends. Lily and Spruce had helped them to sow the seeds in late March. The plants had sprouted and were ready to be reaped, now that it was June.

Spruce walked back to his house.

He then turned and glanced at the lawn in front of Lily's house.

It was nice and green, with a bench and a tree the size of her house.

He looked at his house. It had a slightly smaller lawn, with two trees and a flowering plant.

Then Lily ran towards Spruce.

"Ah, Spruce; I'm here!"

"Oh, great. Let's go! Everything we need for reaping is in Magnolia and Conifera's storeroom."

__________

They walked to the road. It was mostly empty, as always—very few people in their village had vehicles.

They crossed the road.

Lily started walking. Then she said,

"Oh my oh me! Why can't I see?"

"Silly Lily!" Spruce grinned. "There's a blossom, a flower, on your face!" He reached and took it away.

"Oh!" Lily held the flower in her hand. "It's really pretty."

"Come on!" Spruce said, and they continued walking.

They reached Magnolia and Conifera's house. Conifera walked to them.

"Hello, friends!" She smiled. "Hoe is het met je?"

"Het gaat prima met mij," Spruce grinned. "So did you get the reaping hook?"

"We don't need a reaping hook for reaping corn and potatoes!" Conifera smiled brightly. "We need some shovels—and I've got four."

"Amazing!" Lily said.

"Now remember," Conifera continued, "be very careful when digging up the potatoes. Be careful not to scrape or cut the plants. Okay?"

"Okay!" Spruce said.

They walked into the house, and met Magnolia.

"Hey, you two!" Magnolia smiled. "How are you?"

"We're fine!" Lily said. She walked to the field.

"Oh, wow!" She exclaimed.

The field looked beautiful.

"Now, let's reap!" Magnolia brought the spades.

The four of them went out, spades in hand.

"Come," said Magnolia. "See these potatoes? Now dig around it carefully, like this... then pull it out."

Lily and Spruce followed.

"Remember, friends, be careful!" Magnolia said.

"Oh, Magnolia; of course they'll be careful!" Conifera smiled.

They pulled out the potatoes.

"Now," Magnolia said. "Let's go and keep the potatoes in a cool place—like Conifera's special storeroom."

"How high should the temperature be?" Spruce asked.

"Well, about 45-60 Fahrenheit would do," Magnolia answered.

They kept the potatoes in Conifera's special storeroom.

"Oh, whew!" Lily said. "That was amazing!"

"It was," Magnolia said. "Now onto the corn. Reach out and pull the corn's ears downward… like this. Now twist it to take off the stalk. No, Lily; you do it like this…" Magnolia demonstrated, "yes, like this…"

They took off all the corn.

"Oh, the kernels look so good!" Lily said.

"Ja, ja; we'll eat them soon. And as for the potatoes," Magnolia said, "we'll have to let them rest for about two weeks. That process is also called curing."

"Oh!" Spruce said.

"Well, thank you, friends!" Magnolia said.

"Oh, no, Magnolia; thank you for giving us the chance to help you reap," Lily said.

"Bye!" Spruce said.

Magnolia and Conifera said, "Goodbye!"

______________

That night, it was clear.

The stars could be seen, so could the crescent moon.

A shadow appeared in Magnolia's field.

A person crept in.

She walked to the storeroom quietly and quickly. She opened the door. She walked in.

"Whoa! Look at all these bags of vegetables!" She muttered.

The person took a bag of potatoes and three bags of corn.

She slowly and swiftly went out of the field, and towards the Greenflo River.

She muttered, "Marinaquila away!"

Then she jumped into the river with the vegetable bags.

She was able to walk in the river.

She reached and took out a big stone, revealing a large hole. She kept the bags in it and kept the stone back again.

She muttered, "Marinaquila reverso!"

She jumped out of the river and walked away.

___________

Lily wasn't feeling sleepy that night.

"Oh, when will I get to eat the corn?"

Lily sat up. She walked towards the window.

"Oh, no!" She exclaimed. "Who's that?"

Lily saw a person come out of the river.

She heard the person say,

"Ha ha ha! Nothing comes in Oleander's way! Silly Magnolia and Conifera! Those corn and potatoes are mine to keep! Ha ha ha!!"

"Potatoes? Corn?! Did this person steal Magnolia and Conifera's crop?" Lily wondered.

She went downstairs, opened the door, and went outside.

She looked. She saw the same person—the one who came out of the river—go to Magnolia's storeroom and take something. The person walked towards the river again, but she saw Lily.

"Um, who are you?" Lily said.

"I'm Oleander Rusk! Why do you care?" The person retorted.

"You stole Magnolia and Conifera 's crops, didn't you?" Lily said.

"No, I didn't!" Oleander said.

Lily saw that Oleander held three bags. She grabbed them and opened them. There were potatoes and corn in them.

"You thief!" She cried. "You stole Magnolia and Conifera's crops!"

Oleander looked around. She then took out a rope, grabbed Lily, tied her up, and dragged her to the lawn of the house.

"You moronic thing," Oleander said. "Don't tell anybody that I stole the crops," Oleander held Lily's hand tight.

"Don't tell anybody that I stole the crops," Oleander repeated. "If you tell anyone that I stole the crops," Oleander took out a knife. "I won't spare your life. I'll burn this whole village as well."

Lily was shocked.

"Don't tell anybody about me," Oleander untied the ropes. "If you do, I'll destroy your life." Oleander pointed the knife at Lily. Then Oleander walked away as if nothing had happened.

Lily stood up and looked around.

"What in the world did she just say?" Lily said. She wanted to go to Spruce and tell him what happened, but then she remembered Oleander's warning—she didn't want to see her village burn.

"Oh," She sighed. "I'll see about it in the morning," she walked back to her room.

__________

Spruce went to Lily's house and knocked on the door.

Lily opened it.

"O-Oh, good m-morning, Spruce," Lily said.

"Lily," Spruce said. "I've got bad news. You see, Magnolia and Conifera's crops have been stolen."

"Oh," Lily sighed.

"Did you see who did it?" Spruce asked.

"N-No, w-why would I see something like that?" Lily said.

"Come on," Spruce said. "Let's go console them."

"I-I'm coming, Spruce. Just give me a second."

Lily saw Spruce walk away.

"Oh," She muttered. "I'm lying!"

Lily ran to her friend's house. She didn't care about the flowers on the ground.

Lily opened the door and went to Magnolia's bedroom.

There, on her exquisite bed, Magnolia was crying. And Spruce and Conifera sat beside her.

Lily looked closely at Conifera. Conifera wasn't smiling now—she looked sad.

"Oh," Lily muttered. "If I told them that Oleander stole the crops, Magnolia wouldn't be crying now. But if I tell them, it's the last of me—and Woodpine, our village."

She went to Magnolia and said, "There, Magnolia, don't cry."

"See?" Spruce said. "Everything will be fine. We'll find that thief, we certainly will."

"We'll plant more crops, won't we?" Conifera said endearingly.

"I guess so," Lily said. She looked at the sky and sighed.

"I hate what I'm doing," She muttered.

________________

Later that day, the investigators set to work.

First, the Main Investigator, Solstice Equinox, went to Magnolia and Conifera's house.

"Hello there," Solstice said. "Did you see who stole your crops?"

"Oh, no," Conifera sighed.

"I'll have to search your house to verify that," Solstice said. She then kept her hand on Conifera, and whispered, "Don't worry. We'll find out who that thief is. You must tell us if you notice any clues or anybody doing anything suspicious. Don't sob all the time, alright?"

"Alright," Conifera sighed. "You may go forward and search our place."

"Ja," Solstice said. She went and searched the storeroom, the bedrooms, and even the field.

"No, there's nothing here," Solstice said. "But I'll be back in a bit."

Conifera walked to Spruce's house.

She knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Spruce opened the door. "O-Oh, Main Investigator Solstice?"

"Ja, that's me," Solstice replied. "I've to search your house for clues, Spruce Moss," and she went in.

Solstice looked around the house for clues but could find none.

"Oh," She sighed. "Spruce, now I'll go and search your friend's house for clues. What was her name again?"

"Lily," Spruce replied. "Fade Lily Nor."

"Ah, yes," Solstice replied. She then went close to spruce and whispered,

"Don't sob too often, Spruce Moss. We'll figure out who stole the crops."

Then Solstice went out and walked towards Lily's house. She saw another investigator walking towards her.

"Teal?!" She exclaimed. "Come, help me investigate."

"Yes, indeed I will, friend,

Let's find out if the thief has a beak or bill, friend."

"Oh, Teal."

Solstice knocked on the door. Lily opened it.

"M-Main Investigator S-Solstice?" Lily said.

"Ah, Fade Lily Nor. Let me search your house."

"Ja, of course, Main Investigator," Lily sighed.

Teal went towards Lily and said,

"Eyes on the crops, friend,

"We don't know if the bad person crawls or hops, friend."

Lily looked at Teal, astonished.

Solstice looked around the house—the bedroom, storeroom, lawn, kitchen—but could find no clues. No fingerprints.

"Hmm," Solstice said. "Did you see who stole the crops?"

"Oh. N-No, I didn't!" Lily said. She muttered, "And there! I lied again."

"Hmm. Well, then, let's go. We'll come back later in the evening." Then Solstice went close to Lily and whispered,

"Don't worry, Lily Nor. Everything will be alright. Don't cry."

Teal went to them, and said,

"Don't you worry about the crops, friend,

"We'll find out if the bad person crawls or hops, friend."

"Teal! Quiet!" Solstice said. Then she and Teal walked out.

Lily sat on the chair and sobbed.

"Oh, why did I have to see Oleander? Why did she have to threaten me? Didn't she find anybody else in the world?"

"I think I'd better not speak to Spruce—what if I tell him about Oleander? That will be the end of me!" Lily sobbed.

_________________

The next day, Spruce came and knocked on the door.

"Lily?" He said.

"Y-Yes, Spruce, " Lily opened the door. "Just give me a second," and she went inside.

"I must not talk to Spruce," She muttered. She went to her bedroom.

"But Magnolia needs to ask you something!" Spruce said. He waited for 15 minutes. Lily didn't come.

He waited for another 15 minutes. Lily didn't come.

He waited for another half-hour. Lily still didn't come.

He watched the sunset.

"Oh," He exclaimed. He ran towards Magnolia's house, and to her room.

He saw that Conifera was serving her some corn soup.

"There, Magnolia," Conifera said. "Drink this. You'll feel better."

She then saw Spruce.

"Spruce!" Conifera said. "Where's Lily?"

"Oh. She said that she'll come, but she hasn't come yet. Het spijt me, I'm deeply sorry."

"Spruce! It's alright. Perhaps she's busy doing something... Anyway, you're here, so help me make some pie."

"Alright," Spruce said. He looked at Lily's house through the window—Lily hadn't come out yet.

_____________

That same thing repeated the next day and the day after.

On the fourth day, Spruce went to the marketplace to buy some lettuce.

He went to the shopkeeper and said,

"Hoeveel kost dit?" He picked up two lettuces.

The person selling the lettuces retorted, "O, jij weer!! Dit kost 7 euros."

"Seven!" Spruce said. He would normally go to a different person, but that day, he didn't speak a word. He gave the person 7 euros, took the lettuces, and turned to go when he saw Lily.

"Lily!" He said. He ran towards her.

Lily saw Spruce.

"Oh, no," She muttered, and pretended that she didn't see Spruce. She walked to the bridge of the Greenflo River.

"Lily!" Spruce said. He went towards her.

"Why haven't you been talking to me for three days? Magnolia is growing sadder and sadder every day because you didn't come when I called you. She wanted to tell you something. Why didn't you come?"

"Oh, it's nothing."

"No, Lily. It must be something."

"Well," Lily sighed. "I'll tell you what happened. So, five days ago, on the night before you found out that the crops were stolen, I saw—"

"Spruce! Lily!" Conifera ran towards them.

"What's the matter, Conifera?" Spruce asked.

"Come quick!" Conifera said. "Magnolia just fainted!"

"What?" Spruce said. "Come, Lily, let's go."

"Yes, Spruce," Lily said. She watched Spruce and Conifera run towards Magnolia's house.

She stared at her reflection in the water.

"I hate what I'm doing," She sighed. "Look at what I've done. I even made my friend Magnolia faint! And it's all my fault. If only Oleander didn't threaten me."

Lily looked at her house. She then ran over the bridge, to go help her friend.

___________

That night, Lily looked through the window and saw Spruce and Conifera standing in front of her house.

"No," She muttered. "I can't hide it from them for long. I guess I have only one way out of this—to leave Woodpine. Then, nobody will ask me anything."

Lily took her suitcase and started keeping her things in it

"Lily!" Conifera shouted. "What are you doing?"

Lily went forward and opened the door.

"O-Oh, hi, Conifera," Lily said.

"Oh," Conifera sighed. "Lily, why haven't you been talking to us? What's the matter?"

"I-I, well, um, you see, i-it's just that," Lily said. "Alright, fine. I'll tell you what happened. So, five days ago, on the night before you found out that the crops were stolen, I saw a person coming out of the river. That same person went to your storeroom, Conifera. The person returned with three bags.

"I saw that there were potatoes and corn in those bags. The person then tied me up and told me that if I tell anyone about her, she'll destroy me and burn up our village. And the person's name is Oleander."

"What?" Spruce exclaimed. "Now that's something…"

"Now that I've told you," Lily said. "I guess it's better that I leave Woodpine."

"No, Lily; don't leave," Conifera said. "We must do something...but what? What do we do about it? Spruce, do you have any ideas?"

"Hmm," Spruce said. "Ah! Ja, I know exactly what to do."

"What do we do?" Lily said.

"I'll tell you tomorrow morning. For now, let's all just go to sleep."

"Alright. Goodnight, Lily," Conifera said. "And you won't leave Woodpine now, will you?"

"No, I won't," Lily said. She watched Conifera and Spruce walk away. She went back to her room.

Lily took out her books from the suitcase, and put them back on the shelves. She looked at the sky, and then went to sleep.

______________

The next morning, Spruce knocked on Lily's door.

"Are you coming today or not?" Spruce asked.

"Ja," Lily opened the door. "I'm coming—but where are we going?"

"To the investigators' office." Spruce said.

"T-The investigators' office?" Lily's heart skipped a beat. "Are you sure?"

"I am sure. Come, let's go."

And they both walked and crossed the road when—

"Lily," Spruce said. "Just wait here for a second. Don't go anywhere."

"Uh, ja; okay."

Spruce walked and went inside Magnolia and Conifera's house.

He went upstairs, to the dining room, and saw Magnolia eating.

He went to Magnolia and whispered,

"Magnolia, don't be sad. I'm going to the investigators' office."

Magnolia stared at him.

"I'll ask the investigators," Spruce continued. "So don't be sad."

Magnolia said, "Alright, Spruce."

"You see," Spruce sighed. "Lily told me and Conifera yesterday that she saw the person who stole the crops and—"

"I know," Magnolia said. "Conifera told me today. And her name's Oleander, isn't it?"

"Ja. I'm going to tell the Investigator all this and I'll see what'll happen."

"I'm pretty sure nothing will," Conifera walked in.

"Goodbye," Magnolia said.

"Goodbye," Spruce said. He walked out of the house and ran towards the road.

He felt relieved—Lily was still there.

"Come, Lily," he said. "Let's go,"

The two of them walked on, and reached the Investigators' Office.

They went in. Lily saw Teal coming towards them.

Teal said,

"Did you find out who's the thief of the crops, friend?

"Does the bad person crawl or hop, friend?"

"No," Lily replied.

"Where's Main Investigator Solstice's room?" Spruce asked.

"Solstice's room is over there, friend.

Right, left and you're there, friend," Teal replied.

"Alright," Spruce said. Then he and Lily walked to the room.

"Main Investigator Solstice?" Spruce said.

"Ja, come in," Solstice replied.

Spruce and Lily sat on the two chairs in front of Solstice.

"Main Investigator Solstice," Spruce said in a low voice. "I-I need to talk to you about something… alone."

"Hmm," Solstice looked around the room. "Spruce Moss, this room is empty except for the three of us, isn't it?"

"Oh, ja," Spruce said. And he narrated the story of Oleander to Solstice.

"Oh, my," Solstice said.

"I hope you aren't angry at me," Lily said. "I didn't tell it because Oleander said that—"

"It's okay," Solstice said. "Bad people do put you in tricky problems."

"Investigator Solstice," Spruce said, "I think I know what to do with Oleander."

"Ja?" Solstice exclaimed. "Tell me."

______________

That night, Oleander crossed the bridge over the Greenflo River.

"Ha ha ha!" She laughed.

She was walking to Magnolia and Conifera's storeroom again when she saw two people walking by the road.

"Oh, best friend," One person said.

"Yes, dear friend," The other one said.

"Oh! How I wish we never got this precious bag with us…"

"But we needed to, dear friend."

"Isn't this bag too precious?"

"Why? What's in it? Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I'm sorry, best friend, that I didn't tell you before. There's a map to my field in the bag."

Oleander was intrigued. She hid behind a bush and listened.

"How big is your field, dear friend?" The second person said.

"Well," The first person said. "If you take a vehicle—any vehicle—and start driving at full speed from the start of my field in the morning; at the end of the day, you'd have reached only half of my field."

"Wow! Wow! Wow!"

"Yes. And do you know what I planted in my field? I planted lettuce, cabbages, carrots, onions, and leeks."

"Oh wow, dear friend. Will you give me some?"

"No. Plant your own. I'll help you if you want."

The person put down the bag.

"Look at that!" Oleander muttered. "Imagine how much money I'll get by selling all those vegetables—perhaps more than 11,400 euros!"

Oleander crept up and took the bag.

"Ha ha !" She laughed silently.

She opened the bag. She saw 10 euros, 2 small books, a pen, and the map. She took out the map.

"Oh, my goodness!" Oleander exclaimed. She followed the map.

She came to the place where the map showed the field. But all she saw was a valley. A steep valley.

Oleander gasped.

"What happened?" She wondered. She turned back and saw those two people—who had the map—and the Investigators Solstice and Teal.

The two people removed their disguises.

"Spruce and… Lily!" Oleander exclaimed.

"What are you doing here, Oleander?" Solstice said.

"I-I… uh… nothing!" Oleander faked a smile. "Nothing."

Teal said,

"Now you've only got two options, friend,

"Down the valley, or with us, friend."

"I—uh," Oleander said.

Then the Investigators' Van arrived. Solstice called a few more investigators.

They grabbed Oleander and hauled her into the van.

As the van was about to leave, Solstice looked at Spruce and said, "Thank you, Spruce."

"It's alright, Main Investigator," Spruce smiled.

Magnolia and Conifera came to Spruce and Lily.

"Thanks a lot, friends," Magnolia smiled.

"Oh, Magnolia!" Lily said. "Please forgive me, because—"

"No, Lily. It's okay," Conifera smiled brightly.

"I saw you smile after days, Conifera!" Spruce said. "Now, shall we plant more crops tomorrow?"

"Ja!! Yes!" Conifera said.

"We'll plant them tomorrow," Magnolia said. "Let's all go to sleep now."

"Ja. Goodnight, everyone," Lily said.

Magnolia and Conifera walked to their home. Spruce and Lily walked in the other direction, to their homes.

"Goodnight, Spruce," Lily said. "Thank you, a lot."

"It's alright, Lily. Just never hide anything from me, Magnolia, and Conifera, okay?"

"Ja."

Spruce went to his room; Lily went to hers.

"Oh," She whispered. "I just hope nothing wrong happens this time we sow the seeds."

So, she never had to leave Woodpine after all.

By P Hadassah Joyce Pushpa