"We need to find the magic mushroom!" Sam explained. "We've been looking for it for the longest of time!"

The old man cackled and wheezed, "Hm, you might want this, then, so you can pass the Bull Bridge..." So he handed them a...

Paintbrush covered in tar.

"Why would we need this?" Jen asked in confusion.

Marko laughed, "You'll see soon enough... actually, we'll see soon enough. I'm not gonna let you youngsters travel the dangerous road all by yer loneselves."

~Riella

so, much to the travelers disgust, Marko joined them on their trek.
Sam kept making faces behind his back and Tom mimed wacking him in the head with the tar paintbrush. Jen tried not to laugh.
suddenly, they came to -

-- a sign that read: "If you wish to keep your head, you must keep your head."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tom asked, annoyed.

Marko replied, "It means that we have to keep our mind alert during the the upcoming part of the path. There's trouble, I'll be bound, and if we don't watch out, we'll catch it, mark my words."

~Riella

Sam just laughed. "I don't believe a word of it!"
He took two steps and was wacked in the head with a -

Bat. Not a baseball bat -- a winged bat. It chuckled and flew away -- with the paintbrush!

"No!" Marko yelled. "We need that!"

~Riella

Sam ran after the bat. the bat laughed at him. "You'll never catch me!"
Sam ran all the way to the edge of the cliff. the bat flew out over the drop - and Sam fell off the cliff!

But an eagle (named George) swooped under Sam and caught him. "Careful there!" he said.
George followed the bat. "Now when I get close," he informed Sam, "You grab the brush out of his grasp."

~Riella

Sam, shocked, just nodded.
George swooped in, aiming for the bat. the bat didn't see or hear George and Sam was able to catch the paintbrush.
George flew back to the edge of the cliff.

"You stay safe now," George told him, and Sam nodded.

Sam returned to the group, and the pressed on. Finally they came to a gate. It was locked, and the lock had a paintbrush shaped key-hole in it.

"Told ya you'd need it," Marko said.

~Riella

Sam stuck his tongue out at Marko. then he stuck the paintbrush in the keyhole. The lock clicked and the door swung open.

Cautiously, they entered. They could hear a faint humming noise. They looked ahead. There, in front of them, glowing and humming, were the mushrooms!

~Riella

Sam gaped. "Which one is the one we came for?"

Jen just stared. But Tom grinned and ran toward the mushrooms. "This way!" He called over his shoulder.

Marko grinned. "Right oh!"

Tom grabbed one of the mushrooms and handed it to Sam.

"Finally," Sam said, "the mushrooms that give you powers... I wonder what power it will give me?"

He took a bite...

~Riella

and a smile came over his face.
So Jen took a bite. She also smiled.
Tom took a bite and smiled.
Marko took a bite and smiled.
they had found their long life at last! but what powers would they have?