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Finally, Nick and Penny reached Rainbow Waterfalls. Even in their fearful haste, they stood awed by the beauty before them. The evening sun at their backs, the two little Wondernells watched fascinated as shimmering floods of violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red cascaded over the cliffs in front of them. "How beautiful!" Penny breathed. At her words, Nick turned and grabbed her hand once more. "Yes, but we must go." He trembled slightly and pointed past the Falls. As he moved, his breeches snagged on the brittle thorns of a winter-bare jewel-berry bush. "Oh, no! Mother won't like your ripped jacket and my twice-torn breeches. But that can't be helped now." As they walked past the Falls, Penny said, "Why don't the Falls freeze in winter?" Nick, who did not know either, answered, "Well, maybe they're magic. But anyway, it isn't time for winter freezes yet." "Maybe not, but I'm cold." Penny shivered as she spoke. Suddenly, Nick stopped. "That smell is stronger. And I can hear that laughing again now that we've passed the Falls." Penny sniffled. "The laughing is louder. Nick, I'm scared." "Don't cry, Penny. Hush! Be brave." The two moved deeper into the ever-darkening forest. At this point, the Sunshine Sparkle River lost all claim to its name, for it entered the darkest part of the woods, the farthest boundary of the Protected Forest. As the two little Wondernells followed the course of the river, they crossed the border into Evil Designs Territory. Cold and Dank Cove lay just ahead of them. Nick stopped again. "We're almost there," he muttered. "We must be quiet and careful." Penny nodded, but she was so scared that she was sure Snivvely must be able to hear her heart-thumps. They tiptoed forward until they came to an inlet of the river. Here the path became the mucky, muddy, slimy slope to the entrance to what must surely be Cold and Dank Cove. Nick and Penny paused for a moment. Penny exclaimed, "That smell is horrible!" Nick nodded and looked around. "Penny, I don't hear the laughing any more." As if on cue, the woods seemed to explode with weird, deafening laughter. |
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