The Adventures of Keiko Haubjed

Starring Keiko in

Psilocybe Cyanescens

By Tsunami_Holmes

12-year-old Keiko walked next to her mother, Veronica, as they hiked through the woods. The Oregon woods to be exact. They were on their way to Toketee Falls, a large waterfall that flowed over columnar basalt. Keiko's little brother was hopping on a mushroom patch. The mushrooms were brown with wavy tops and a smooth surface.

"Dean, honey, don't squash the mushrooms," Veronica told him. Dean stopped jumping, but the toddler sat down on the rocky ground and reached out to eat them instead. Veronica didn't notice as she was now checking a text from Keiko's father, Ben. But Keiko did. She bent down to pull Dean away from the mushrooms.He whined, Keiko let go.

"Sorry! Did I hurt you?" Keiko asked.

"Uhhrrrr," Dean whined. This got Keiko's mother's attention. She bent down next to them.

"What's going on?" Veronica questioned.

"Dean almost ate one of the mushrooms! I didn't know if they were poisonous, so I grabbed him before he could eat it," Keiko explained. Keiko's mother examined the mushrooms.

After a while she spoke, "I am very glad you caught that Keiko, these are very poisonous."

"Really? What are they?" Keiko asked, keeping her eye on Dean, who was now playing with a rock.

"Wavy caps. Also known as potent Psilocybe. Their Latin name is Psilocybe Cyanescens. I am not surprised that we found them here and now though,"

"Why?"

"Well, they often grow in places like this where there are wood debris, wood chips, or leaf litter. And for time, they will grow anytime from late spring to mid winter," Veronica explained.

"Wow. There are so many of them!" Keiko declared.

"Yes, actually, once there was a patch found in England that held over 100,000 Wavy caps!"

"Really? Wow! So do they just make you sick? Or is there something more?" Keiko asked.

"Oh no, they do more. These mushrooms are hallucinogenic. In fact, I believe that Egyptians used them in religious and cultural acts, and Central Americans used to eat them! They thought that, because of it's hallucinations, the mushrooms were a part of God! They believed that every time you ate one, you were eating God, which made you closer to him."

"That's horrible! And kinda funny," Keiko laughed silently, then straightened up.

"It may be, but potent Psilocybes aren't to be messed with. In 1962, A six-year-old girl once died from eating them. So, they are not something you want to eat. That's why I am so glad that you saved Dean by stopping him from eating them, he could have died," Keiko's mother stared at her with gratefulness, "Thank you, Keiko."

"Your welcome. I will never eat mushrooms without checking them first. I will probably ever eat mushrooms then either!" Keiko didn't like mushrooms.

"That's fine, you're probably safer that way. Now, if you see any reindeer with a pile of them, never go near that pile! You could get seriously hurt!" Veronica warned.

"Really? Why?" Keiko asked, confused.

"Because, believe it or not, reindeers love Psilocybe Cyanescens! They will make piles and defend them! They like the hallucinations I suppose. Anyway, we should get going, I am eager to see the falls!" At this, Keiko, Dean, and their mother, started walking again down the path. Soon, they were going to experience a wonderful view of Toketee falls.