Shadows of the Redwood - By Gillian Summers Page 0,52
elephant around in here and no one would notice.”
They found Sean, Risa, and Knot standing on a four-foot-square patch of grass in front of the mall. All three were avoiding a corner of the patch. Knot looked relieved to see them.
“Time to go,” Laurie said. Sean grabbed the tree trunk, freeing Laurie to search for her car keys.
They ran to the car, the branches sticking up over their heads as if they were smuggling giant broccoli. Knot was leading the way.
“I can’t believe we’re tree-napping. What if those two guards put two and two together and come after us?” Laurie asked.
“That’s why we need to get out of here,” Keelie replied. She had no idea what she was going to do with the pear tree. She needed to plant him somewhere safe, with lots of tree company.
When they reached the car, an out-of-breath Risa was holding her side. “I thought we were going shopping at La Jolie Rouge? Now you two are stealing a tree. We just left a forest filled with trees. We live in a forest. Can’t you get enough?”
Sean’s face was serious. “Come on. I’ve had enough of the mall.”
“Thank you.” Keelie’s eyes held Sean’s.
“We’ll talk about this later,” he said firmly.
Laurie pressed her key remote and the BMW doors clicked open. She tossed Keelie the keys. Knot hopped into the front seat, yowling loudly as if saying, “Hurry, hurry.” The tree was too big to fit into the back seat of the car with Risa and Sean, so it would have to ride in the trunk.
Keelie could see Tweedle Don and Tweedle Dan surveying the parking lot. They were scratching their heads and talking into their remote control walkie-talkies like they were calling for reinforcements.
Like Sean, Keelie’d had enough of the mall. “We need to go.”
The tree was fully conscious. What are you trying to do? Kill me? Take me back. I’m going to tell the gobblers about you.
Laurie pointed. “The security guards have found us.” She hopped into the car while Keelie cranked the engine. Sean lowered one of the back seats, then angled the tree in, so that the branches were in the back seat and the root ball was in the trunk. He slammed the trunk door closed, then he and Risa opened the back doors and fought the branches to find a seat.
Keelie pulled out of the parking space. Looking in the driver’s side mirror, she saw Tweedle Dan and Tweedle Don gesturing wildly at the BMW.
Oh, Great Sylvus, my planter is gone. My roots will wither away and die without soil. I’m going to die. The tree’s voice penetrated the cab of the car, but Keelie was the only one who could hear him. Lucky her.
You’re not going to die. Keelie tried to send soothing green thoughts to the tree, but they were rejected.
I’m going to die. I’m going to die.
We’re saving you. Keelie was getting irritated with this ungrateful tree.
The gobblers were right about fairies. They’re all bad. They’ll find you, and you’ll be sorry.
Keelie drove slowly through the crowded parking lot
“Hurry it up. Once we get on the expressway, they’ll lose us,” Laurie said. “Only you would come to L.A. and steal a tree.”
“I couldn’t leave him there with an overturned tiny planter. His root system didn’t have any room to grow,” Keelie insisted.
Risa leaned forward. “See, your friend agrees with me. You’re surrounded by trees. Why rescue this one?”
Keelie ignored her. She glanced into the rearview mirror.
Sean rested his head against the back of the seat and closed his eyes as if he was wishing himself anywhere but here.
As they drove past a huge SUV with tinted windows, Keelie felt a sudden wash of dark power come over her, similar to what she’d experienced in the redwoods. The sharp pain pierced her forehead. “Ow!”
“What’s wrong, Keelie?” Laurie asked. Knot hissed and scrambled into the back seat, climbing onto the car’s rear deck to look out the windshield. Sean’s eyes opened wide and he too turned to look back at the SUV.
Risa hugged herself. “I don’t feel well.”
Overcoming her pain, Keelie felt a primal urge to get out of the parking lot. “I think the quickest way out of here is to take the access road and then follow the state road to Baywood Academy.”
“We’re going back to that boring place?” Risa whined.
“I’m going to plant the tree there.”
Laurie rolled her eyes. “You need to turn right. “