Part 2:
Dale and I set out for the smoke we saw rising in the distance.
Both of us covered in syrup.
Weird enough, right? But have I described the place? Let me set the scene:
It was an entirely different dimension. Had to be. Because the landscape itself … was candy.
Giant chocolate trees stood tall, their branches limber yet firm.
Fluffy shrubs of cotton candy lounged and bobbed aimlessly.
Licorice reeds, both red and black, thwacked in the wind.
And covering the ground?
Gumdrops! Gumdrops as far as the eye could see, gumdrops in every direction.
Both of us covered in syrup.
Weird enough, right? But have I described the place? Let me set the scene:
It was an entirely different dimension. Had to be. Because the landscape itself … was candy.
Giant chocolate trees stood tall, their branches limber yet firm.
Fluffy shrubs of cotton candy lounged and bobbed aimlessly.
Licorice reeds, both red and black, thwacked in the wind.
And covering the ground?
Gumdrops! Gumdrops as far as the eye could see, gumdrops in every direction.
Walking on gumdrops was like stomping in an unending, half-filled, bounce house.
Just when we'd get used to it, the breeze would kick up and swirl sugar in our faces.
Once I sneezed for a minute straight in the sweetened air.
I felt like a kid in a candy storm.
We pressed on, finally reaching our target. The smoke? It billowed from a chimney.
That chimney was connected to a cottage.
And the cottage? Well, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.
Graham cracker walls, coated in chocolate, made the frame. Pristine white frosting covered the roof. Peanut butter fudge for the front door. Candy berries lined the walk.
Just when we'd get used to it, the breeze would kick up and swirl sugar in our faces.
Once I sneezed for a minute straight in the sweetened air.
I felt like a kid in a candy storm.
We pressed on, finally reaching our target. The smoke? It billowed from a chimney.
That chimney was connected to a cottage.
And the cottage? Well, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.
Graham cracker walls, coated in chocolate, made the frame. Pristine white frosting covered the roof. Peanut butter fudge for the front door. Candy berries lined the walk.
There was a garden out back, but the plants there looked real, and the grass had no gumdrops.
In the garden … that’s where we saw her.
She had an older but beautiful face. Like an aging movie star, maybe. Wearing a blue dress and kneeling and digging in the dirt. Oddest of all, a matching bonnet covered her head.
What could we do? Swoop in and grab her? We didn’t know she was terrible yet.
So we walked up and said hello.
“Hi,” I began in my friendliest voice. “My name is Josephine. This is Dale. Please excuse our appearance, we’ve had a slight … accident."
She stood and whipped around.
In the garden … that’s where we saw her.
She had an older but beautiful face. Like an aging movie star, maybe. Wearing a blue dress and kneeling and digging in the dirt. Oddest of all, a matching bonnet covered her head.
What could we do? Swoop in and grab her? We didn’t know she was terrible yet.
So we walked up and said hello.
“Hi,” I began in my friendliest voice. “My name is Josephine. This is Dale. Please excuse our appearance, we’ve had a slight … accident."
She stood and whipped around.
“You’re all right now?” asked the stranger.
“We’re OK. Is that your house?”
“Everything therein is mine and mine alone,” she said, coming toward us. “Do you doubt that?"
“Oh no, not at all. I didn’t mean anything by it. Sorry.”
She walked even closer, until she was right in front of me.
“You have excellent manners. Here, let me offer you a treat.”
She began whispering words I didn't understand.
Sparks jumped from wriggling fingers and she cupped her palms.
Her hands began to shake.
When they stopped, she opened them to reveal a candy apple.
It was big and weird and I knew I didn't want to eat it.
She held it out to me.
All I could do was stare.
“We’re OK. Is that your house?”
“Everything therein is mine and mine alone,” she said, coming toward us. “Do you doubt that?"
“Oh no, not at all. I didn’t mean anything by it. Sorry.”
She walked even closer, until she was right in front of me.
“You have excellent manners. Here, let me offer you a treat.”
She began whispering words I didn't understand.
Sparks jumped from wriggling fingers and she cupped her palms.
Her hands began to shake.
When they stopped, she opened them to reveal a candy apple.
It was big and weird and I knew I didn't want to eat it.
She held it out to me.
All I could do was stare.