May Secret Agent Contest #22

TITLE: THE HEALING MAGIC OF RED OAK WOODS
GENRE: MG Speculative

Stories swirled around our town about the unusual woods that edged my neighborhood, but most people dismissed them. Not me. 

I’d heard there was truth in those stories from the mysterious Ms. Jemima Blaze, who lived in the ramshackle place dead center of the woods. Her ancestors had lived there for years, so I figured she should know. She also told me it would never show you anything, if you looked too hard. But I did anyway, couldn’t help it.

“Let’s go,” I said.

“Geez, calm down. I’m coming,” said Oliver.

I stood at the end of his driveway, which was three down from mine. His mom leaned out their front door and grabbed the mail from their mailbox.

She called, “Hi Rinn. Not too long today, you two. Oliver told me he has a lot of homework.”

“Ok, Mrs. Jacobsen.”

My name is actually Corinne, but everyone calls me Rinn, even my parents. In fact, pretty sure they started it.

Once Ms. Blaze confirmed our suspicions, Oliver and me hunted for magic on a regular basis. We searched along the beaten path through the woods. Different days of the week, because there were other things to do too, but at least a couple, except the time he had the flu and the time I fractured my arm. It wasn’t a whole break, but my mom made me stay inside for a week to help it heal. She’s kind of a worrywart.