After hours of practice, Ivy felt a newfound confidence in her abilities. She was so excited. Then she turned to Jasmine and asked, if Jasmine would want to accompany them to the witch forest.
Jasmine shook her head vigorously with fear. " Noway, Ivy! You know someone has to stay back to cover for you if my parents ask about your whereabouts. However, you have to be very careful, and you must return before it gets dark, because I've heard stories of dangerous creatures,haunting the forest when it gets dark".
Ivy nodded, grateful for her cousin's understanding. Ivy asked Simon to quickly put what they would need for the journey in his backpack, while she changed into another outfit. She was just about to head out with Simon, when it clicked to her that no one had told her where the witch forest could be found.
Ivy went back to ask Jasmine, and Jasmine told her that her witch instincts would lead her, because only a witch could be able to find the forest.
They spent half an hour walking, and Ivy finally found the entrance into the witch forest.
As they stood at the entrance, Simon couldn't help but voice his concerns again. " Ivy, why do I have to be the scapegoat here? I'm just an empty human vessel, not a witch or dracula!"
Ivy chuckled, patting Simon on the back " Oh Simon, what did u say you want for valentine's again? She smiled.
Simon pouted.
"Besides, who knows? Maybe you'll discover some hidden powers along the way!" she laughed.
As they took their first step into the eerie forest, Simon's nerves got the best of him. He tried to turn back but Ivy held onto his arm firmly, her eyes filled with determination.
Simon's heart raced and he could feel a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. " Ivy, I think I'm gonna.... gonna run back!" he stammered.
Ivy pulled him back. " Oh no Simon! You're not getting out of this easily. We're in this together!".
Simon chuckled nervously, his eyes darting around the forest. "Ivy, I'm telling you, this place is giving me the creeps! Can't we just go to a nice, sunny beach instead?"
Ivy giggled, shaking her head. " Sorry Simon, but we're exactly where we need to be".
As the ventured deeper into the forest, the silence became deafening. They could even hear their own footsteps echoing through the dense trees. Ivy's mind wandered back to her childhood memories, of coming to this very forest to bury her parents along with her family, making it easier to find the graveyard.
Suddenly, a bird flew out of a nearby tree and startled them. Simon held his chest, exhaling dramatically. "If this forest gives me a heart attack, I'm blaming you, Ivy!".
Just as they were catching their breath, Simon's foot sank into the ground, his leg got trapped in a quicksand.
Panic washed over him and he cried for help, his voice filled with a mixture of fear and humor. " I always thought that I will die an honorable death, but this is the most ridiculous way to die. Tell my parents that I love them so much, and tell them not to give my playstation to my cousin. Man! that boy's as messy as hell, and he stinks too. Perhaps my death will make him change".
"Simon! Shut up. You're not going to die, atleast not today", Ivy said as she desperately searched for something to help simon. Her heart raced as she spotted a sturdy stick nearby. Without hesitation, she grabbed the stick and extended it towards Simon. " Hold on Simon! I've got you!".
Simon grasped onto the stick with all his strength, and Ivy pulled. Simon was finally freed from the clutches of the quicksand, landing on his backside with a thud. He caught his breath, panting like a dog, and he looked at Ivy with a pleading expression.
"Ivy, that's it! This quicksand incident is a sign that we should just go home and eat some potato chips in our pyjamasand watch a horror movie instead. Come on! This is a life and death situation, it almost seems as if we're in a horror movie. If so, then i need to speak to the director because I'm so sick right now. Where's the director? Hello Mr director!", he said as he sarcastically waved his hands.
Ivy couldn't help but burst into laughter, shaking her head at Simon's dramatics. " Simon, you surely do know how to lighten the mood. Don't worry we will make it out of here in one piece... I guess".
They continued their journey through the forest, laughing and joking as they went. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they arrived at the graveyard. It was a vast cemetery, filled with rows upon rows of different graves. Fear gripped Simon as he stared at the graves, and he could alsosense the fear in Ivy's eyes.
"Do you really want to do this? Simon asked, holding Ivy's hand.
Ivy swallowed saliva in a state of fear and nodded.
" Then let's do this. I'm right here" he said.
Ivy was shocked at Simon's courage. For once, he made her feel safe, and she liked the feeling. They decided to split up and search for her parents grave in different directions, to cover more ground.
Ivy's heart pounded as she went deeper into the graveyard, and her eyes scanned every tombstone for any sign of her parents.
After several minutes of searching, Simon's voice echoed through the silence. " Ivy! Over here!" he waved.
Ivy rushed towards the sound of Simon's voice. She arrived at the grave and tears filled her eyes. There, engraved on the tombstone, were the names of her beloved parents, Celina Harrison and Robert Harrison, they were laid to rest beside each other. Overwhelmed with emotions, Ivy dropped to her knees, her hand gently caressed the cold stone.
Simon knelt beside her, and offered words of comfort and encouragment. " I can't say that I understand how you feel, because I am not in your situation, but if your parents could see you right now, they would be so proud of you, and if things go well, you might even be able to see them again soon". He wiped the tears off Ivy's face.
She hugged Simon tightly " Thank you Simon, you are the best friend anyone could ever ask for". She wiped her away her tears and stood up, filled with a renewed sense of hope. "I am ready" she smiled.
Ivy asked Simon to hand over the backpack to her. She opened and searched through it , all she saw was, a bottle of water, a can of juice, soda water, lots of snacks and a plier. She was shocked. Her disappointment was evident when she looked at Simon.
"What are we going to use to dig?" She asked.
Simon bit his lips. " Urrrmmm.... I ..... " He stammered.