THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WELL

Chapter 9 – page 4

"What be yer names?" he asked. "Well, I’m G and that’s J" said Granma. No need to tell everybody your name and buisness. "Well, Hi G, Hi J! Welkim ta Marshmallow Wastes! Yuinz hungry?" the Marshie asked. Well, Julio was always hungry and it had been almost 3 hours since he had eaten. "What did you have in mind, oh Noble Marshie?" asked G.

Well," said the Marshie, showing a snaggly toothed sorta smile, "U guys ride yer beasts .. on kross da bridge an I’ll meet ya on da udder side, k?" We folks doan git much kumpney so weez gonna’ put da kettle on." "We can’t stay very long because we have to get on about our mission." said G. "Dats ok, we kin eet reel fast !" says the Marshie. G was still guarded and just hoping they weren’t planning on eating them, da Muff or the horses for supper!

Pepper bowed down, much to G & J's surprise and Julio got back on. Mober gave G a proud moma look. "Looks like we have to go this way anyhow," said G. "Might as well stop and see what they got. What are you gonna do with those light balls?" asked G. "You’ll see" said Julio, and for now he stuffed the medium sized ones in his baskets, carefully so as not to squish any Chips, and the small ones he put in his splack on his back.

The bridge was wide, about 20 feet across, and made of solid rock; seeming to be a freak of nature. It stretched across the marsh for about a quarter mile. All along the edges were the same pink bell shaped flowers and the black water lapping the sides. Marshmallows could be seen everywhere, giving the place almost the look of an underwater city, full of street lights. When they came down from the bridge onto dirt again, the water on this side of the marsh was much clearer. Julio shouted: "I see a sea horse, Granma, a sea horse!" "How can that be? This can’t be salt water" replied G. "Maybe they are fresh water marsh horses?"