“Well that was surprisingly easy.” Ariel shrugged.

“Don’t jinx it.” Selena warned. They breathed the fresh air. It was not like the dusty, musty, gross air in the house. They looked back at the building. A large gray, dirty stone house towered over them. The words ‘Madam Keres’s Home For Girls’ were painted above the door.

“Well, are we going to steal food?” Selena asked. 

“I didn’t think we’d get this far.” Ariel shrugged. “Maybe we can get some from the community garden.”
“Well, we’re definitely not taking any cabbage from Madam Keres’s.” Serena shuddered. “Not only would she notice, but if I eat another cabbage-related meal, I’m gonna barf.”

They walked around Galvania, careful not to get too far from the home. Serena was amazed at the large kingdom and all the towns. Yes, it was dirty and dark, but it was certainly different from Madam Keres’s Home for Girls. There were stone streets with cottages along the sides. Most houses had small gardens, but some smaller cottages had no yard at all.

 They wandered to the community garden, across the town. A few minutes away from the gardens, Ariel stopped dead on the empty street.

“What is it?” Selena asked. “A person? Should we-” She got ready to run and hide.

“Grapes!” Ariel exclaimed. Serena thought, Grapes?

“Behind that cottage, the one with the ivy, I think that’s a grape vine!” Ariel ran towards the vines, naturally. Selena ran after her.
“Wait! Ariel-” Selena whisper-shouted. Ariel ran through two cottages to the grapevines that were wrapped around a tree and flowed on the ground.

“They aren’t exactly in the forest!” Ariel said. “Only at the edge, come on, it’s fine!” Ariel ran back over to Selena, grabbed her arm, and pulled in between the houses. 

“Should we be doing-” Selena began.

“Probably not!” Ariel agreed. “But I’m hungry, and I don’t want to starve tomorrow!” Ariel and Selena reached the grapevines, and they saw it was full of big, juicy grapes.

“Ohhhh . . .” Selena and Ariel’s eyes got as big as saucers and their mouths hung open. They hadn’t seen food like this since they were three, and they barely remembered it. Ariel reached towards a grape and plucked it off. Selena did the same.

“Eat on three.” Selena said. “One, two, three.” They popped the grapes in their hungry mouths and their taste buds practically exploded.
“It’s so good!” Ariel shrieked.
“It’s sooo good!” Selena yelled. “It doesn’t taste terrible! It’s not cabbage!” They jumped around in excitement.

“This is the best thing ever!” Ariel moaned. She started gathering grapes in her old dress. Although they didn’t realize it, they had been so loud that some of the people living in the houses nearby heard the commotion. A candle was lit in the nearest house. Selena and Ariel looked up.

“I think someone’s awake!” Selena said quietly. She and Ariel ducked behind a bush.

“Did you hear something, Barb?” An old man’s voice said from inside a cottage.

“You crazy old man!” A woman’s voice responded. “Who would be awake at this hour?”
“You tell me! I heard whooping and cheering⎯should we tell the king?”

“What would he do?” The woman sounded extremely annoyed. “Look by the grapevines and investigate the forest? ‘Oh, it must be someone eating your grapes so they have energy to destroy the world!’ No! It was probably some critters!”
“Not critters on my graaapes!” The old man yelled. “I’m gonna get ‘em away from my grapes! Be back, Barb!” Another light was lit, this one brighter. Selena could’ve sworn she heard the woman say, “You old coot.”

The back door to the cottage opened. A hunched over old man hobbled out. 

“Critters!” He bellowed. “I’ll getcha⎯I’ll kill ya, stealin’ my grapes!”

Selena and Ariel exchanged fearful looks.
“These grapes belong to them?!” Selena whispered.

“I⎯I thought they were wild grapes!” Ariel whimpered.

“Let’s back out!” Selena said. “When he goes to that side, we can go out this side.” Ariel nodded. The old man didn’t go to one side⎯he walked straight towards the bush muttering “Think they can mess with me, them critters?”

“Go back!” Ariel whispered fearfully. Unfortunately, the forest was right behind them.

“We’re trapped!” Selena turned to Ariel. “Get caught or hide in the forest?” Ariel glanced at the forest uncertainly.

“I can’t think straight!” Ariel squeaked. “Forest!” Selena nodded⎯she didn’t want to get caught either. They could be put in the king’s dungeons for stealing. They backed into the dark forest. The ground was soft and wet, the trees tall and dark. There was a lot of vegatation and undergrowth. 

Selena led Ariel back, and soon the sight of the cottage and the old man were gone.

“Dang!” The old man’s voice carried into the forest. “Are you over here?” The man must’ve gone somewhere else, because his light faded away.

The girls looked into the dark forest, unsure of what to do next.