When the sun beyond the clouds of fog began to rise, the world brightened. She guessed it was approximately six in the morning, so she stopped feigning sleep and got up. Instead of heading toward the bonfire to warm up, she walked a little deeper into the woods in the opposite direction. She needed a minute to clear her mind before greeting the others who were already awake.
A few feet beyond her mossy sanctuary was a small ledge and acres of sterling alpine trees. They were tall, thin, and tightly spaced. The ground they covered was flat, but it was impossible to see to the other side due to the dense forestry. This part of the forest was foreign; she’d never seen it before. It was one of the many new additions to the woods after the attack. It was a stunning sight and Juniper wished she had a camera to capture the view.
She carefully stepped down the ledge and faced the long rows of trees. It reminded her of a funhouse at a carnival. There were so many trees placed in such close proximity that their appearance felt like a mirage. It didn’t feel real and it was impossible not to go cross-eyed when trying to focus on one spot. She took one step forward and her entire vantage point shifted, making her advance feel like a hallucination. She blinked her eyes a few times to readjust her vision before taking another step. The scenery shifted again and she began to think something greater than the woods was playing tricks on her. Stationed between two thin trees she placed her hands on their trunks and realigned her balance. Maybe she was just tired and the set-up of the trees was too much for her weary eyes.
Then a noise came from the distance; it was the cracking, crunching sound of twigs and leaves. Juniper’s brow furrowed and she tried to listen closer. The footsteps were headed toward her, so she ducked behind a tree and held her breath. If the animals were back, they’d be hungry and she did not want to be their first meal. The noise continued to grow in volume as it approached. It sounded close enough to see, so Juniper peeked around the tree to catch a glimpse.
The moment her eyes narrowed in on the source she lost control of her senses. She stepped out from behind the tree and stood in the open space. Her breath was gone and the tears that wanted to fall were frozen in place. The sounds of the forest were replaced by the numbing hum of her thoughts whizzing about at exponential speeds. Her heart rose into her throat and threatened to choke her with the sudden reemergence of hope. She tried to speak, but the words came out as hollow breaths. A tingling sensation ran down her arms and she lost feeling in her fingertips. She closed her eyes and shook her head, afraid this was another trick of the trees but when she reopened them, the sight was the same. She tried to pinch herself awake, but she wasn’t asleep. This was real; it wasn’t a dream.
Roscoe stood a few feet in front of her, alive and smiling.
Chapter 33
Roscoe was covered in dirt, blood, and ash. Despite his tattered condition he grinned and ran toward her. He buried her in a hug and Juniper collapsed in his embrace.
“Is this real?” she asked, afraid to feel too much in case this moment was stripped from her.
“Yes. I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“I heard you in my dreams.”
“It was the only time I could reach you.”
“I thought I was going crazy.”
“Sorry. I’m not sure what happened to our connection.”
“I thought I lost you.” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
“I’d never leave you.” He grabbed her face and kissed her. The reunion was surreal, but perfect. Juniper couldn’t believe he was back. She took a better look at him and the shock of his reappearance faded.
“Are you okay? You have blood all over you.”
“I’m okay now.” He pointed at an injury on his leg. “This one kept bleeding. No matter how many times I wrapped it up, the blood kept pouring. It got so bad I thought I wouldn’t make it. Then one day all my gashes and wounds healed.” He shrugged.
“I’ll explain that to you later,” she smirked. Peering over his shoulder she saw another unexpected sight. A crowd of people stood twenty feet from them, patiently waiting as they reunited.
“Who are they?”
“They were looking for you.”
“Me? But I don’t know who they are.”
“When we got separated I tried to find the end of the fissure so I could walk around it and get back to you. I walked north and before I could find the end point, the trees called out to me.”
“The trees? I thought they only spoke to me.”
“So did I, but they said I needed to help you. When I left the forest everything was covered in ash. I couldn’t go anywhere until I found protective gear, hence the old lady scarf and dollar-store sunglasses. It was the best I could find. The trees then led me over the Hood Canal Bridge and instructed me to steal a boat from someone’s backyard so I could row across the sound. The trees told me to keep my sights on Mount Stickney, and sure enough, a few days later I was greeted by new arrivals. They’re from all over the country. They said they heard your voice before the trees attacked. They were trying to get to Olympic National Forest but got caught up in the attacks along the way. The trees intercepted and had them rerouted. There may be more out there, still traveling and trying to reach you.”
Juniper’s brow furrowed, then she remembered the message she sent into the universe weeks ago.
“Yes,” she nodded, “I did call out to like-minded spirits. I never thought it would work though.” She smiled and looked back at the crowd.
“Well, it did, and the trees helped me find them. They led us back the long way, since we couldn’t all fit in the row boat, and then safely guided us here.”
All of Juniper’s anger toward the trees vanished now that she realized they didn’t abandon her or Roscoe. She hadn’t heard from them because they were too busy helping Roscoe survive. She felt bad that she had jumped to conclusions, but grateful to be wrong.
“So, they all came because of me?”
“Yup. When I greeted them in Gold Bar they asked me how to get to Olympic National Park. When I asked how they knew to go there, they said that Juniper of the Trees spoke to them. You saved far more people than you realized.”
“I’m in shock.”
“So was I. I think it’s wise we search for other survivors in the upcoming weeks. I imagine many of those you reached are still traveling.”
Juniper nodded, noticing a few familiar people in the distant crowd. “Is that the Wolfe family?” She scanned the faces. “And your friends, and all the others who left?”
“Yes, the trees led me to them once I returned with your new followers. They were near Lake Cushman.”
“All the way down there?”
“Yeah, they got really lost.”
“I’m glad they’re okay. Noah and Cade are going to be thrilled.”
“Let me introduce you to the others,” Roscoe suggested. He took her hand and led her to the crowd. They stared at her with mixed emotions. Some were in shock; others wore expressions of awe.
“This is Juniper,” Roscoe announced to the group. They shuffled toward her with exclamations of elation and wonder. She was caught up in a group hug, and then passed from person to person who thanked her with deep gratitude. She was taken aback by their admiration, but overwhelmingly appreciative. Not only for their kindness, but for the fact that they listened to her message and believed in her. The trees spared them, knowing they were headed to Juniper. Their faith in her kept them alive and she was honored. It would be a tall task to feel worthy of such reverence, but she had every intention of living up to their hopes.
The world as they once knew it was gone and death draped the landscape, but somehow they were still alive. It did not diminish the weight they felt for those who were lost, but it did give them a sliver of hope. They could survive, and they would. They’d carry on with strength and create a world worth fighting for.
Juniper led the sizeable crowd back to the Hall of Mosses. The unpredictability of large groups used to give her
anxiety as they produced too many personalities, opinions, and conflicts. Hiding in the forest, away from humanity, was the only place she felt safe. But she was different now. She had grown and healed; she came to terms with her old fears. There was no safety in isolation; no life in her self-made quarantine, and this large group gave her comfort instead of unease. For the first time in years she felt present, like she was truly inhaling the wonder of the current moment. Gaia chose her and the trees helped her reach this moment of bliss. She was finally surrounded by people she didn’t feel the need to hide from, and the inner warrior she had lost over the years, the courage she had been trying so hard to reclaim, had returned.
She was a Champion, not only of nature, but of herself. She rose to the challenge, stepped out of her comfort zone, and conquered every fear along the way. Her vision was clear and together, she and her people would endure. Though she had herself to thank, her gratitude for this miracle also belonged to the trees. She glanced toward the treetops with a smirk and felt the magic of the trees envelop her heart. Out of hiding and into this brave new land, she came alive.
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