Three Years Later

I'm Jill, the eldest sister in the Sole family. I know it's not traditional for the eldest to be the main character, but you're just gonna have to deal with it. Because my youngest sister, Sarah, doesn't even care that our mom is flat and dying.

I had blonde hair and brown eyes. There's nothing else worth mentioning. I was a truly unremarkable girl, with an extra ordinarily sick mother.

"I was reading about medicines and potions, and I finally found one that'll help mom!" I exclaimed happily to my twin brother, Jack. "Yeah, whatever." He replied.

Out of the whole family Dad and I were the only ones who cared about mom, and that made me so mad! I yelled forty-one good mornings, as I ran to Mom's room.

"I found a potion to save you, so don't worry, I'll be right back. She didn't reply. She couldn't reply. Her tounge had deflated. I checked her pulse, and it was barely above a flutter. Mother was on the last stage of her flattend death! That meant I only had a day to get to the heart of the forest and back.

The ingredients for the potion were really rare, and I'd have to bring them to the potion seller myself. There were many dangers in the wood... Jack loved adventure! He would help me! I found him chasing a giant's dog from the house.

"Jack, I need to go to the wood. Can you come with me to protect me from monsters?" "Sorry, but I have plans today..."

"How can you be so selfish! You don't care about anyone but yourself! I hate you!" I screamed, running, back inside.

I didn't need any help from him, I could protect myself! I found a big stick and started to sharpen it. When it had a point sharp enough to puncture ogre skin I was ready. Ogre skin was like ten whole layers of leather.

Then I went to the cellar, and rubbed it on the toe fungus. Now it was poisonous and sharp too. As I left I saw Jack walking in with a stick almost as sharp as mine. He must really be tired of chasing that dog away.

I was a few feet into the forest when Jack jogged up to me. "I'm coming with you." "I thought you had plans." I said angrily. "I canceled!" he said grinning at his "selflessness".

It was better than usual, at least. He was forgiven. "Good job Jack! Soon you'll actually care that mom is flat!" I cried.

An ogre burst though the bushes. In my excitement I had forgotten to be quiet! I started to charge the ogre, but Jack stopped me.

I've got this one covered." Jack said, charging the ogre in my staid. The ogre batted the stick away and started to punch Jack.

I stabbed him and kept going. "We need to hurry up!" I told him. Jack lagged behind and stared at the steaming ogre. Hopefully, he'd go back home. He was in the way. I ran up to an old rickety bridge. It didn't look like it could support my weight, but maybe...

Jack ran up to me, panting, and said, "Why didn't you wait for me?" "Ummm, I don't know... This bridge is dangerous so we have to be careful, okay? One at a time, I'll go first." "Okay" he said, and watched me tiptoe onto the bridge.

When I was about halfway through, he jumped on to the bridge, and started to bound towards me. " Jack stop!" I cried just before the rickety old bridge broke, and we plummeted towards the mud below.

"Don't let the sharp part touch you when you land!" I screamed, knowing my idiot brother wouldn't remember to. I made sure not to loose my stick, but Jack was not so thoughtful. That's good though. He just embarrassed himself when he tried to use it.

We had walked for about a mile when I heard a thunderous crash, like a giant tree falling down, and a giant foot smashed down upon us, almost smashing Jack and me.

I dived out of the way dragging a shocked Jack with me. I knew my branch, would not hurt this mall sized creature, considering that it would take all the poison in our house to kill something of that size.

I would have to puncture it's stomach. That was the only way. I climbed up his legs, dodging the big, slow swipes of his hands. When I reached his stomach I stabbed him. "Not deep enough!" I screamed angrily, as he roared in pain.

I stabbed him over and over until I noticed a how big the hole I created was. The giant began to wobble, and rock back and forth.

All I could do was hang on and hope he fell backwards. Sadly, the giant fell forward and I had to jump off seconds before he landed.

We kept walking and it only took 10 minutes before we realize that we could see the heart of the forest. Was it actually beating? No it must have been a trick of the mind. I broke into a run. Almost there! Almost there!

A huge forest golem jumped down from a tree, almost landing on us. "I am the guardian of the heart of this forest and you shall not pass!" "What?! I need to save my mom!"

Well he's not gonna let us pass, let's go home." said Jack. "Jack!" I cried, glaring at him.

"Hmmmm, the woman may go, if she can answer my riddle, but the reckless boy shall not pass." he said. "What!? If my sister goes, then I go!" Jack cried.

"No. Because of this foolishness, I will kill both of you. Say something true, and I will strangle you, say something false, and I shall chop your head off with this axe."

"Jack, this is a riddle, don't say anything." I said just to shut him up. For once, Jack, had some good sense, and shut up.

I thought it through. Wait! If... "My statement is... you will kill us with the axe!" If he killed me with the axe, it would mean, I was lying, but he he would have to strangle me, because then I would be telling the truth, which means i'm lying, and so on.

"It is impossible, for you-" "You woman, may pass, if it is okay with you that he must stay outside. "Jill, no!" "Okay."

I walked into the heart, and was shocked, by the force of the beating. I pulled out my knife, and started to carve a small chunk, but the heart shuddered and repelled me. This thing was alive, I couldn't cut it! But maybe it would help me on it's own.

"Excuse me, Mr.- or is it Mrs. heart, I'm sorry if if I hurt you, I just was trying to get the last ingredient that I needed to save my mother. If you could help me..."

I trailed off, because the heart was glowing. A small chunk, exactly the size I needed pulled itself free. "Thank you heart!"

I ran past, grabbing Jack. The next two hours were a blur, a run, stab, run pattern. I emerged from the forest, Jack trailing behind me. I turned right, heading towards the marketplace. "Potion maker! I cried, out of breath.

"Yes dear? Do you have the bark?" "Yes." I handed it to him. "Okay, I'll have this ready for you in about one year. Come back then." "What!? My mom is on the last stage. She won't last a year!"

"Oh, well if your willing to pay, a little extra, I have a bottle here." "What? I can't believe you!" "I don't know if I can pay you more than this, after that trick." I said, snatching the bottle, and handing, him one copper, which was equivalent to a penny.

"Run! If we go now the guards won't chase!"Jack cried. "Hey, come back! You need to pay me more than that!" We broke into a run, and didn't talk the rest of the way home.

"Jack..." "What?" he replied. "I... How did you know? Have you stolen before?" "Yeah, ... so?" I shook my head, laughing, and walked into Mom's room.

"Mom! I'll save you!" I poured the potion down her throat, and she immediatly began to inflate. Soon she was her normal size. "Thank you so much sweetheart. Now come with me dear, there's something, I'd like to show you."

"This is the mirror your grandmother, gave me, when I married your father." I reached out to touch the mesmerizing piece. "Don't touch it!" My mother cried. I ignored her and touched it. The world was spinning. And all of a sudden it stopped. Where was, I some type of mirror realm? Suddenly something crashed into me from behind and knocked me down. "Jack!" "Sorry."

PS. Just to clear up the rumor mill, when we were five, I pushed Jack down a hill, but he did not break his crown! He broke his arm.

*There once was a woman who lived in a shoe. For number of children she had forty- two. Forty- two, yes I said that, but because she had so many she was quite flat*

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