...Still fascinated by the surroundings, she looked up at him with a confused smile and shrugged her shoulders. "This is all so beautiful and unreal, I wouldn't know where to start". Just then, a pure white rabbit jumped out of the bush right ahead of the small cobbled path. It came sitting right in front of them with its paws folded to the front. "Welcome to the Real Paradise. My name is Gollum and if you like I'll take you on a little tour". Amused, she looked back at James......

He smiled back at her, took her hand and told the rabbit, “lead on my friend”....

...They started down the narrow path and found themselves almost gliding over the it. They could hear birds singing, leaves softly rustling by the gentle wind, the waterfall far up ahead. Ripe, luscious fruit of all kinds hung from the trees, waiting to be picked....

After a short distance the rabbit had vanished, not sure if they had just not been paying attention, or if he had forgotten about them. They ventured on for awhile traveling this way and that, and they were both becoming a little weary and a bit hungry. They passed through a thick patch of Lilac bushes and found that a circle of willows stood before them looking ominous, they could not see what was inside, but they sensed a dark force. He looked at her and smiled and took a step into the the small wood. As they entered darkness surrounded them for a few steps, it was cool and damp, and sent a chill up their spines. As they broke through the other side the Suns were bright and warm again, a rock surface flat and smooth was laid with a red and white checkered blanket, food and drinks waited for them. A small pond glistened crystal clear in the Sunlight. He looked at Alida and said, “Shall we?”…

Alida smiled, nodded and they walked forward, sat down close to one another and relaxed. He reached into his pocket and produced a couple green apples, a couple pears, and a hand full of cherries he had gathered along the trail before the rabbit had vanished. The blanket was spread with a wide variety of meats, breads, and wine. He reached across the blanket and picked up a silver knife that lay by a basket of fresh bread, and began cutting up the fruit. He sliced a cherry in half removed the pit and fed half to Alida. The second half he placed in his lips and offered to her. She leaned in and her lips met his taking the offered cherry half, he released, and kissed her neck, she embraced him. As the passion began to rise between them, a noise startled them both back their current reality. The sound was awful like hundreds of people scraping their nails on chalk boards, mixed with a scream like a tea kettle makes. They looked around for the source and quickly became aware of plums of smoke, or steam issuing from the pond. The clear pond was now murky, and smelled of stagnation, the Suns had vanished as well due to the grey cloud forming above the open area, and a chill filled the foul smelling air. A dark figure rose from the center of the pool, seemed to stand on the water for a moment and walk across the water towards them.
He moved in front of Alida brandishing this silver blade he had used, but the dark figure paid the small blade no mind and continued until it stood on the flat rock before them. The creatures red eyes seemed to flame with hatred, and the awful odor was almost overpowering. Its image shimmered and it seemed to tilt its head, and spoke in a raspy shallow voice, that angered the mind to hear, “Why children of men, Why have you violated my home, and stolen my goods?”…..

They backed away from the creature, it seemed to smile at the thought of their retreat, teeth jagged like broken glass filled the torn and slimy opening that was were the mouth should have been. James spoke defiantly, “we took nothing, we only partook of what we brought with us.” The creature tilted its head to the side, and the awful voice issued forth again, “Why do you attempt to lie manling? . James spoke defiantly, “we took nothing, we only partook of what we brought with us.” The creature tilted its head to the side, and the awful voice issued forth again, “Why do you attempt to lie manling? You hold my knife in your hand. Where do you seek to retreat to?” the creature seemed amused.
Alida and James back into the Willows and found the trees had woven themselves into a makeshift next to stop their escape. Alida, and James looked at each other a bit worried, but James remembered the knife and made short work of the viney Willow net, within a few seconds they where passing beneath the trees themselves. The vines of the Willows swung after them catching hold from time to time, but the silver knife remedied that quickly. As they broke the tree line and were back in the light of the Suns, they could hear a earsplitting scream of pain and anger coming from inside the trees. The trees seemed to seal up after their exit, and they felt as if they were being watched from within the Willow web. Without a spoken word they both took a couple steps backwards. James reach out and hugged Alida, and held her for several minutes, both were shaking a bit…

....."Phew, narrow escape huh", James replied with sheer relief. Alida looked up at him, a look of pure astonishment on her face at the man who just saved them both from an untimely death. "What was that thing", Alida asked, still a little out of breath and still a bit shaky from the ordeal. "I have no idea, but whatever it was, I hope we don't cross paths with it ever again", James said while looking back at the sealed up trees. Although the Suns were shining brightly on them, dark thoughts raced through their minds while still embracing each other thightly. James let go of Alida and took her hand in his, holding it ever more thightly. When they turned around, they both gasped in total awe. Right before them, a new world seemed to unfold......

It was the land of blow up dolls that never need patchs. Alida siged in relief when she found out the dolls even swallow!!!

They looked at each other a little unsure of what was going on, they were both wondering had they exited the ring of willows in a different spot than they had entered? No trail was anywhere to be seen, a open green field lay before them with thick waist high grass, a few hundred meters in front was a large lake of gently swaying blue water, and from what they could see from here other people were playing at waters edge at what appeared to be a beach. James looked to Alida, and asked, “Do we dare go near water again here?” She looked at him and said…

“Do we really have a choice, besides thee are other people there. Lets go.” She pulled him on through the field, and as they grew closer to the Lake the could tell what they thought were people, were Elvish, slightly taller than either of them, very thin and agile, eyes slightly upturned at the outer edges, and very elongated ears. The gathering on the beach seemed to be enjoying themselves so Alida did not pause, but pulled James onto the beach. As they broke the edge of the tall grass all the commotion on the beach halted. Alida, and James stood uneasy, the focus of every other being on the beaches soul attention. A younger looking elf stepped forward, and began looking them over, but from a safe distance. He spoke with a odd accent in English, “What are you? You are both to tall and not stocky enough to be dwarves, but you are to stocky, and lack the ears to be Elvish. Are you friendly?” Alida and James looked at one another and smiled and both answered at the same time, “ We are Human, and yes we are friendly” They both smiled, and the young Elf remained a little wary but seemed to relax a little, the others on the beach began returning to their earlier activities. The young Elf stepped forward placed a hand in the center of his chest and said, “ I am called Bantheb.” Alida spoke before James could even blink, “I am Alida, and this is James” she pointed at James, “and we are very pleased to meet you Bantheb.” The Elf gave a little grin and seemed a little more at ease, he pointed to the beach and said, “Welcome, feel free to enjoy our beach, and we welcome you new friends”……