19.
That night Ava watches out the window, she's so mad at Derek. She never thought he would be on the bad man's side, he was supposed to be on her side. In the room next door all the girls are listening to aunt Chris and Derek argue. None of them have ever heard the two of them fight before, and that makes them all a little sad.
"I can't listen to them anymore," Kate says.
She jumps up from her bed, even with her earphones on she can hear aunt Chris's sad voice through the walls. Kate pulls a sweater over her head and grabs the small digital camera she got for her birthday this past year. She brought it with her and hasn't used it yet, but tonight it would be put to good use. She had an idea that would hopefully help people see the beauty in those woods. She also hoped it would help make aunt Chris and Derek not be mad at each other anymore.
She reaches the window and unlocks the latch. Ava and Sophie watch her to see what she's going to do next. She lifts the window up high and looks at her sisters.
"We have some woods to save girls!" she says.
Ava and Sophie smile, looking at each other.
"Do you really mean it Kate?" Ava asks.
Kate nods her head, "Now get your butts moving before we get caught," she tells them.
The girls all quietly hop out the window and climb down to the ground. They try to be quiet as they race through the yard towards the woods.
"It's kind of scary at night," Sophie says, holding onto Ava's hands.
"It's not so bad if you listen to the sounds nature makes, especially the night ones," Ava says. "And these woods, they make their own beautiful music, just listen," she says.
The girls say nothing more as they walk through the dark forest, Kate leading the way with a flashlight in her hand. Sophie quits talking and opens her ears. At first she hears nothing, but the more she listens to the more she hears it. The crickets sound like violins to her ears, as the owls sing along "hoo-ing" into the night. The newly budded leaves rustle in the wind, and even the twinkling stars sound like they are a part of the music.
As the girls get to the clearing, they can see the moon high above shining in the night. The stars around it sparkle like diamonds in the sky. Sophie looks over at the sparkling blue of the cave.
"I see it now," she says. "That's the cave."
Happiness radiates through her body, she didn't see it last time she was here. Ava knows that her sister seeing the cave means she believes. Kate starts snapping pictures of the world around them. A soft wind suddenly comes dancing through. It starts in the field of flowers, that still look as bright as they do during the day. It glides through the field in one swift motion and it reminds Ava of the scarfs they use when their mom does dancing exercises with them. It first swirls around Kate. She has to hold her camera tight as the wind tickles her. Then it swirls around Sophie who spins, making the wind look like the skirt of a dress twirling in the breeze. Ava knows it's coming for her next and when it does it places another crown on her head. This one is made of the flowers from the field, and it's even prettier than the last one.
Kate takes a picture of her sister, then continues to take several of the waterfalls. Ava is pretty sure that everyone can see the falls. Ava jumps up to try and catch a glimpse at what Kate's pictures look like. Kate lowers the camera and shows her the picture. Even in the nighttime sky there's still a rainbow hiding in the mist.
Just like as if they were in one of their favorite princess movies, animals come into the clearing. Ava immediately recognizes the deer and swears it smiles at her. The other girls are in awe as an owl swoops in and perches on a tree just at the outskirts of the clearing. It watches them as if it were keeping an eye on them to make sure they stay safe.
"It really is magical, isn't it Kate?" Sophie asks.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you Ava," she adds.
"Me too, Ava. This is... amazing. Missing that birthday party was so worth the discovery of this place," she says. "We should go though, we don't need them sending out another search party," she suggests.
Ava knows her sister is right, but is still hesitant to leave. She makes a silent promise to the woods and the magic that lives here. She promises that she will return and that she will do everything in her power to save them.
They make it back to the house just in time. Just as Ava crawls into bed the bedroom door opens. All the girls are still wide awake, but they close their eyes tight in hopes whoever is at the door will think they are sleeping.
The next morning when the girls wake up they all head downstairs, each one of them in a good mood after their adventure last night. When they come down to the kitchen they see their mom and aunt Chris talking in hushed whispers at the table. Aunt Chirs looks sad, and their mom is comforting her.
"Everything okay?" Kate asks.
"Just fine," aunt Chirs tries to give them the best smile she can muster. Ava and Sophie believe the smile, but Kate knows something is wrong. She has a feeling it has more to do with the fight she had last night with Derek, because when they woke his truck was gone, and now his mug was missing from the hanging rack above the sink.
"I'm starved," Ava says, plopping down in her seat.
"What can I make for you girls this morning," aunt Chris asks.
"Chocolate chip pancakes?" Sophie asks.
"Is that what you all want?"
All three girls nod, their stomachs growling as they lick their lips with their tongue. Breakfast is served quickly as everyone does their part to chip in. Ava sets the table, Sophie helps mix the batter, and Kate helps cook. By the time they sit down to eat, aunt Chris seems to be in much better spirits. The girls talk about making plans to go have some fun in the sun today, but just as they start to make their plans the door in the kitchen swings open. Everyone looks up to see Derek standing there with a huge smile on his face. He's smiling but his eyes are tired, like he'd been up all night.
"What is it?" aunt Chirs questions, getting up from her seat.
Derek takes three long strides across the kitchen towards her. He takes her cheeks in his hands and plants a kiss on her lips. Kate covers Ava's eyes, while Sophie giggles and says, "Eww."
"I know how we can save the woods and the falls," he says proudly.
Ava stands and runs to Derek, she pushes through in between him and aunt Chris and wraps her arms around him.
"I don't understand, just yesterday you told me..."
He reaches around Ava and takes aunt Chris's hand in his.
"That waterfall is considered a landmark, but it's like people forgot it existed. It was the first thing the settlers who found this place saw when they arrived. That's how this place got its name, but somehow as the world grew people just forgot about the beauty and the history of this small town," he says.
Ava looks up at Derek, who hasn't taken his eyes off of aunt Chris. She tilts her head back and catches a glimpse of a smile on aunt Chirs's face.
"I couldn't let my girls down, I had to fight for it. We just need some proof to show the beauty and I found a source at the library that tells all about it," he says. "That's where I've been since it opened early this morning," he says.
"I have pictures," Kate says.
Everyone looks at her, especially the adults.
"I didn't see you take any..."
"We kind of snuck out last night," Kate says, giving one of those sweet smiles she does when she knows she's done something she shouldn't, but she's trying to be cute.
Lauren Darling looks at her three daughters, she wants to be angry with them, but they are home and safe and now they are about to save the place they love most in this world.
"We'll discuss that later. For now, Kate, go get your pictures we'll print them out."
"Who do we show it to?" aunt Chris asks.
"Mayor Bloomfield of course," he says.
"Everyone get dressed, we have some magic to save," aunt Chris says.
Ava squeals with excitement and moves away to let aunt Chris hug Derek. When it doesn't look like they will ever pull away, Ava nudges Derek's side.
"Come on prince charming time to get to work," she says.
Everyone laughs at Ava's silly sense of humor and they all get ready to storm the mayor's office and save the woods.
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