Beyond the Sparkle Forest by Camilia Wilson (online e reader .TXT) 📕

  In a little cottage in the Paradise Woods, there lived a 16 year old girl and her 13 year old sister. Her mom and dad lived in a bigger cottage next to them. Every day they go to the bigger cottage for meals and stuff, but go back to their own cottage for other things like sleeping, playing, and lots of other things. There were chairs, tables, lamps, sofas, and any other thing a regular old house would have in the little cottage, but the only missing thing was the kitchen.

  This family was happy for every day. The bigger sister was named Marianna Altimerg, and the little sister was named Bethany Altimerg. They both have good manners, were polite, helpful, careful, very nice, and very pretty indeed. Everyone liked them very much. But they sometimes get into arguments easily. One day, there was a knock at the door. They were both surprised because the fence was locked and how would anyone get to the door if the fence was locked? But they opened the door anyways. There was no one standing there though. They only saw a golden envelope with silver flowers on it. Marianna picked up the envelope quickly, and opened it.

  “Wow, Bethany. This is a very pretty envelope. There are also a golden star and a card inside,” said Marianna.

  “Open the card then,” replied Bethany, “I want to see what it says inside.” So Marianna opened the card and read it. This is what it said:

Dear Marianna and Bethany,

Hello, this is the Nadora Palace speaking to you. We looked over you a few times and think that you’re pretty nice. So that’s why we are inviting you to our secret palace beyond the Sparkle Forest. Could you come? Don’t worry, we will be sending a message to your parents to let them know that you’re only in the Nadora Palace, and would be coming back every month to visit you if you get picked to stay. If you could come, just shake the gold star in the envelope three times and you’ll get whisked here. There would be a lot of guests, and you won’t get sent to the palace immediately, but will get sent to the entrance of the Sparkle Forest. We will be waiting for you there. Please come at any time before midnight today. If you come after midnight, we will be gone, and you will be lost. Thanks!

                          Royal Wishes,

                    The Royal Messenger Group

“Um, so should we go? I mean it sounds like fun and I-” Bethany got cut off.

“No, Bethany. We should not go for some very good reasons. First, I don’t trust them. Second, we don’t know them and never heard of them. Third, I don’t think it’s safe. Fourth, what if it was actually bad guys who are kidnapping us? Well, that kind of goes with not safe but there is just too many reasons we should not go. I’m sorry to say, but I don’t think we should go, Bethany. Sorry,” said Marianna.

  “Yes sis, those are some very good points, I know, but something in my mind tells me that it is as safe as it can be. I still think we should go,” said Bethany.

  “Fine, but I’m not going. It’s not safe for me,” snapped Marianna.

  “Oh yeah, I’m going by myself then, and you are going to miss all the fun. It’s okay for me, but I’m thinking of you. Make up your mind then. Are you going or not?” Bethany snapped back.

  Marianna sighed, “I don’t want to argue with you. And if it really is fun, I would want to go. I just don’t know if it’s safe.” They both were silent for a few minutes.

But then Marianna piped up. “You know what, Bethany? I think we should go. If the thing about the golden star was real, then it’s magic, right? I think it might really be a secret place that knows magic!”

  “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” said Bethany jumping up and down excitedly, “but wait a minute, do we need to bring anything?”

  “Uh, I…don’t…know,” said Marianna awkwardly.

  “Whatever, let’s look at the letter again,” said Bethany smiling. So they read it again.

  “Hmm, it doesn’t say anything about bringing anything. It just tells you to shake the gold star three times, that’s all,” replied Marianna.

  Bethany nodded, “It only says that, so I think we don’t need to bring anything.”

  “You’re right. But should I wear my most splendid ball gown? We’re going to a palace, you know,” said Marianna thoughtfully.

  “Yes, I know we are going to a palace, but I don’t know if we are supposed to wear a ball gown. I just don’t think we are going to a ball and go dance with a prince or whatever,” said Bethany.

  “I don’t mean that we are going to dance with a prince. I just mean that we should dress a little fancier or like princess because we’re going to a palace! And remember palace means castle. People in castles dress very finely,” replied Marianna.

  “I know that. Don’t think that I’m a dummy. Who wouldn’t know that? Only a baby wouldn’t know!” said Bethany angrily, “Fine, I’m going to dress like a princess, and if my dress is prettier than yours, don’t be jealous!” Then she stormed off into her room. Marianna shrugged and muttered, “Weird person.” Then she went to her room and started picking a dress.

  “Hmm, what should I wear? This pink gown with a white feathery fan? No, maybe this turquoise one? No, just what should I wear?” Marianna said frustratingly while her sister was also picking a dress. Her fancy wardrobe was just too full of fancy stuff.

  “Ugh, why is there nothing I could wear?” moaned Bethany in her room. Her fancy wardrobe was just too full of gowns, dresses, petticoats, fans, feathery boas, and all kinds of things. They both had lots of trouble picking what to wear.

  After an hour or so, they finally finished all their makeup, dressing, and hair. But they both had trouble doing their hair. Marianna wanted her hair to look very nice, but at last she only managed to do an ordinary bun neatly piled on the top part of her hair on the back. What she really wanted to do was have a neat bun on the same location as now, but with nice curls hanging down her bun. She knew her silky blonde hair would look nice with that hairstyle. Bethany also had silky blonde hair but a little shorter. Her hair was not too short; it was just like one inch shorter than her sister’s. She wanted to make a neat bun like what her sister had managed to do now, but accidentally made a ponytail tilting to the right. But she didn’t try to change it. Marianna looked at her pony clock. It was nine o’clock already! Oh no! Only three more hours until midnight! She quickly got her snow white feathered fan and ran downstairs. Her sister was already there. She looked really pretty.

  “Um, sorry, sis. I didn’t mean to argue with you like that. You look very pretty,” said Bethany.

  “Thanks. You look gorgeous too. Let’s go, there’s no time to waste!” Marianna said happily. She held hands with Bethany and reached for the star. But just then, Bethany let go of her hands and said, “Wait a minute. I‘ll be back in a second.” And with that, she disappeared into her room.

  “Are you ready yet? I’m kind of getting goose bumps from standing here,” said Marianna crossly after fifteen minutes.

  “Coming! I will be out in a few minutes,” shouted Bethany from her room.

  “Honestly, Bethany. What’s taking you so long? If you don’t come out soon, you’re not going. I’m going all by myself,” Marianna said.

  “Okay, okay, I’m coming. Just be a little patient, please,” Bethany said. So Marianna waited patiently again. She almost fell asleep. Her head dropped and started to close her eyes. But just then, the door of Bethany’s room sprang open and there was a loud BANG! Marianna jumped up.

  “Whoa! Next time please do not bang the door!” Marianna said, shaking her head, “You’ve done that at least 50 times already!”

  “Sorry, I just do that sometimes when I get really excited,” Bethany said.

  “Is that still called sometimes? I said you did that at least 50 times already!” Marianna said shaking her head again.

  “Whatever,” said Bethany laughing.

  “So, what took you so long in the room? What were you actually doing?” asked Marianna curiously.

  “Oh, nothing much. You don’t need to know,” said Bethany.

  “C’mon, just tell me. There’s nothing to worry about. I won’t laugh at you or anything,” said Marianna.

  “Really, sis. There is nothing you have to know about. It has nothing do with you, okay?” said Bethany pleadingly.

  “If it doesn’t have to do with me, it has to do with the palace, right?” said Marianna.

  Bethany sighed, “Yes, it has something to do with the palace, but I’m not telling you what I’ve just done. You will copy me, I’m sure of it.”

  “Well, you’ll just have to tell me what you’ve done sooner or later. Are you keeping a secret from me?” Marianna said sounding very annoyed about her sister not telling her the truth.

  “I am not keeping a secret from you. I will tell you what I did when we get to the forest, only if you promise to stop asking me, and don’t copy me when I told you what I’ve done,” said Bethany.

  “But why? Why can’t I do what you’ve done?” asked Marianna.

  “Because it’s my own way of doing things and I don’t want people to copy me,” said Bethany firmly.

  “Fine, then let’s go, and you must tell me what you’ve done when we get there,”  

said Marianna. Bethany nodded.

  “Okay, here we go!” shouted Bethany.

 Marianna shook the gold star three times, and they felt a strong wind. The two sisters were shocked. They were picked up, and swept out of the window. A magic cloud beneath them was beginning to form. They could hardly believe there own eyes. They were flying!

  “Wow sis, this is the coolest thing I’ve ever imagined! I never knew I could actually fly!” said Bethany sounding very excited.

  “Yeah, I could feel the breeze swapping on my face. I love it! How about we split up and see if the magic still works?” said Marianna excitedly too.

  “Hmm, but what if the magic only works for a group because there is only one star’s magic? What if when we split up only one person could be carried in the magic and the other would fall down?” asked Bethany unsure about her sister’s suggestion.

  “You’re right, but it’s worth a try, isn’t it? Let’s hold our hands as far as we can, then slightly move our fingertips away. If