Chapter One: The First Day of my Life.

...The Narrator's Introduction:...

According to the title of this, you must have already assumed I am the narrator of your story, though I'm way more than you think. Yes, I am the person who knows everything but I'm not just an unimportant storyteller you will never hear from again. In fact, I am a real person in this tale of mystical creatures and magic kingdoms.

As a reader, you for sure are curious about who I am, but I can not tell you exactly everything; well not from my perspective at least. Yes it might sound strange but the story is not mine to tell at all, it is my mother's.

And why am I telling you it this way and not her instead? Well, I was once very young, and curious; asking about my mother was the first thing I ever really did. As a child, I never knew my parents and was told I had to be protected in order to stay alive. So not having them I always asked questions, especially about my mother because I was told I'd never find her if I looked. Not until she was born.

Curious now? That desire truly ran my whole life when I was young. It ran my mother's life even more than mine because she had no memory of a family or where she came from either. Being curious is just second nature just as much as love and magic from where I come from, but sometimes it takes a person too far.

You must be wondering how could I tell you a story through the eyes of my mother, with her thoughts and perspective, it's simple really. Magic of course! It can take a person anywhere, even back to a different time.

So here it goes, the story of how my mother died. I'm going to leave you with one last thought in your mind, her death was meant to happen.

Her story starts in a forest after I was born... way after. Or in her perspective shall I say before?

...Chapter One: The First Day of my Life....

I scamper across the mucky forest floor more briskly than I anticipated with the injuries on my leg. My eyes have been focused on the ground to avoid any other collisions with a tree branch and my foot, which now could possibly be sprained. Everything my eye catches has seemed to just blur together by now, causing me to stumble anyway. Or maybe it is because I'm dizzy and out of breath. My lungs are almost done for the day and feel like they could explode from pushing too hard. Also, the pain in my head is excruciating, as if this is the first time in existence I've listened to anything.

Although I've become extremely exhausted the one sense I can always depend on is my hearing. My ears still pick up the smallest things even if my head is pounding from the sound of my own heart beat. I never would have believed it was abnormal to hear this many individual noises if someone told me so weeks ago. But now I know that hearing the tiniest sounds, including the slightest rustle from a leaf with a caterpillar crawling across it, is not as normal as I origonally thought.

The other senses I possess seem to be nothing compared to this particular one that I have such a strange connection to. It is like a gateway to other perspectives, smaller ones, ones no one would know were there. It is a way to another story, a whole new world. Though no one would believe me when I tried explaining that I could hear everything, including something from out my room and down different hallways.

Having such an enhanced sense of hearing has gotten me into some of the most serious troubles within the past few weeks of my life. Hearing voices was the first, originally I believed they were in my head until I discovered two other women lived inside the building as well. Though I never met or spoke to them I'm still very upset with myself that I escaped and left them behind. Now here I am running away while the women are still being heald captive like I used to be.

Truthfully there's nothing I could've done, especially when I had no clue how leaving the building was going to work out. Still, I don't know where I'm headed. How could I if I have no memories of my childhood or where I came from? I don't even know my name but that's the least of my worries. I have to get out of this forest before they realize I'm gone.

I'm extremely paranoid they will come chasing after me, but maybe I should be more scared of the woods they spoke so hauntingly of. The beautifully sounding forest is not as intimidating as I generally thought it would be, but that is only because I assumed what the men told me about the outside world was true. According to them this forest was more than just a horrible place. It would suck people into it and they would never be seen again.

At first I thought it was just a fib to make me afraid of leaving them, but the more time that passed the more I realized all of the men had a fear of it. What ever it is, it's very serious to them and their lives depended on me. One thing is, they didn't make me scared of the outside world, I became more curious of it. I'm more frightened of those men then having the forest suck me down into it.

Still I question it, what could be worse then the men who kept me captive? It was practically prison, but where the men were allowed to do what ever they pleased. Sometimes I wasn't treated like a living creature. Once a younger man believed I was completly evil and had the power to destroy anything I wanted. The other man replied saying that I wasn't old enough yet.

Catching the rest of that conversation got me a day without food, but it was worth it. Apparently some of the men believe that I will eventually become an all powerful being that destroys some family line. Sadly that is all I know about myself, but honestly I don't believe they could just know what will happen in the future. But then where would that statement come from?

Depending on the man that was assigned to me that day I would be treated differently, so talking to them was practically out the window. Only on one occasion I successfully had a decent conversation with a man I'd never met before. But, I didn't get anything out of him to help me discover who I was or what I was doing there.

After freeing myself I have concluded every single sentence they said to me was a lie. Why would I trust people who kept secrets from me? For all I know they could be the reason why my memories are gone in the first place. Nothing they told me is relevant now, though it is ironic. The whole reason why I left was because I was curious of the forest. They wanted me to stay with them because of the forest. It's the reason why I'm frantically running in the woods that may or may not possess evil like they said.

The sound of something behind me startles me to the core. I pray that it's not one of the men trying to snatch me back. When I gradually slow to a light jog I can't help myself but glance over my shoulder, finding that nobody is there. My body longs for a break but I don't dare stop to catch my breath. I'd rather faint of exhaustion far away from that building then be caught by those men.

As I continue on my way I regret going the way I chose. The opposite direction of the road infront of the massive brick building is not going to lead me to a small town or city. Now that I am thinking about it my reasoning for doing so is unknown. I only have this one suspicion that seems to itch deep inside my soul but it is beyond imagination. Maybe it is true that some unknown force is pulling me in a specific direction. I could've safely gone down the thin dirt path but something was telling me not to. So of course curiosity got the best of me once again and now here I am, lost. Unless this feeling is real and something really is making me go this way.

No, I quietly tell myself. It's impossible that something is silently making me walk through these woods like I'm searching for someone. Maybe the forest does have some kind of spirits in it? No, it must be paranoia. These woods are just as normal as the rest of the world. A forest can not suck a person up, it does not have powers, and magic is not real.

Once again, crunching leaves from behind startles me. Goosebumps cover my whole body and my head pulses. This time I take longer than a glance over my shoulder and to my delight there's still no one behind me. When my attention goes back to the front I believe all is well but in the blink of an eye I'm falling to the ground before I can catch myself.

The sound of a sharp crunch echoes throughout the forest as my torso and arms collide with a wet rotting log. It breaks beneath me and sticks through my cloths and into my skin causing me to groan out in pain. Seconds later my stomach becomes ice cold and wet. Mud. It shocks me, making me flinch at the freezing-like temperature of the puddle under the crushed log.

At the first attempt to get up my arms give out on me. My head is spinning and my legs burn from the sudden halt of movement. After a few seconds I gather up enough strength to sit up. My eyes blink down to the rest of my body, I'm covered with wet leaves and twigs but on the bright side they smell pleasingly fresh.

My heart pounds out of my chest. The feeling is unfamiliar but at the same time I know it's normal for this situation. It's strange not having memories yet when something 'new' happens to me I think, "Oh right, that's what's supposed to happen." It is like deja vu, I didn't know what was going to happen until it did and it felt normal.

I scramble up from the damp ground but the dizziness is making me unable to keep my balance so I sit down on a nearby fallen tree. My lungs are feeling like they're being ripped from my body any my throat is so dry I begin coughing. I've never felt such a rush and pain at the same time.

I decide to gaze up at the midday sky for the first time since I have been out here. It's light blue with perfect fluffy clouds and a sun that's extremely blinding even as it hides above the treetops. I'm not accustomed to such an open atmosphere but it is nice, especially when I can clearly hear the sweet sounds of chirping spring birds. Leaves blow in a sudden chilly breeze as I get a feeling that there is something watching me.

My eyes frantically scan the branches of the newly budding trees. I'd rather not get stuck in this forest forever, even if there's nothing wrong with it. But I also can't go back the way I came. I'd rather not have to go back to that dreaded prison. Though what if they were right about these woods? I don't wanna die-

"Follow me." A voice whispers with a reassuring ring to it.

My stomach drops as I see something white run past me out of the corner of my eye. The glimpse of it is enough to spook me into standing back onto my feet. There is someone out here! But I can't see them. This must be some kind of trick one of the men is pulling on me. I need to keep moving or something bad is going to happen to me.

Far in front of me the white creature catches my eye again. It goes in and out of bushes, jumps over logs and large fallen tree branches. I can never get a good look at it long enough for my brain to determine what it is, so I follow. The voice couldn't have come from the white creature, it's impossible for an animal to talk.

My legs start slowing down again and I stretch my arms up in the air, expecting it to feel good but forgetting the pain my shoulder is in. The soreness is a day or so old from being smacked hard by one of those men. The cause of the punishment was because I tried prying information from one of them like usual. That time was my last warning or I'd be locked in the basement forever. Thankfully I was just stuck in my room for a day instead.

To be honest I don't know how much time has passed. There's all of this space inside of my head for memories to be stored and yet still things like this perplex me. Everything has seemed to blend together making up one giant and meaningless life.

I stop in my tracks. What am I doing following something I don't even know is real? My brain has become a whirlwind, caught between believing in the supernatural and thinking that this is all in my head. For all I know I could be in a deep sleep and will awaken any second in that dark room I used to daydream in.

All I wanted was somebody who'd understand me, who could guide me in the right direction, someone I could trust into. Some days I even thought of love and I convinced myself there was someone walking this earth, turning back every stone, going through every doorway searching for me. Even if the person was not a family member I'd still be pleased knowing someone wanted me back with them. As days went by I became more disappointed, suddenly believing that no one would come to my rescue.

I was deeply aching for a family or a friend to come save me that it was horribly unhealthy. Then again, being kept in a small confined room is also bad for one's health. So with the little motivation I had left I knew freedom was what I truly wanted.

By now I'm used to being alone, even as I travel through these wet leaves and branches. I'm reminded that I can only depend on myself, but that gives me hope that someday I'll be lead to the right people and someplace I can call home. The thought of being alone forever plagues my mind when I dream of my future.

But I'm trying to put that all behind me. Never giving up on where I'm going is my new course in life. Hopefully I can determine what happens next-

My stomach rumbles making my mind instantly forget what I was just thinking about. The sound taughts me, making me wonder if I will starve to death before I can find my way out of here. Though the temptation is burdensome I refuse to let hunger or the thoughts of starvation get to me. I don't remember the last time I ate but I'm used to not eating. If the men decided I wasn't worthy of having a meal in my stomach they wouldn't give my anything.

Not only am I hungry but the remaining hours of daylight are dwindling fast which means horrible things for me. I have learned that the darkness is truly horrendous. It would frighten me at night inside the building because I never knew if somebody would be lurking nearby, ready to get me if I stepped out of line. Now that the night is coming, I'm worried that the outside world is really what they say it is.

Not even a second later of me thinking that this forest is out of the ordinary at least one hundred birds suddenly chirp from the tree tops. I bring my attention up, wondering what the matter could be but instead of finding something horrifying I see many colorful birds flying away from their perches above me. They dissapear into the sky that is turning dark, how is it no longer midday? It's making me conclude I miscalculated the time when I first got out here.

Right before I'm about to move my eyes back to the ground where my feet are firmly planted on the muddy forest floor, my eyes catch a hint of the same furry creature I thought I saw earlier. A pit clenches in my stomach, knowing the animal doesn't seem to be the type to climb all the way up there. So how did it get there, and why?

The strange animal leaps off the high branch, making my stomach fall as I watch. As it nears the ground I fear for its life but only until, to my amazement, the creature lands on all fours in frount of me. At first I'm confused to how it survived that long fall but the thought only lasts a millisecond.

Pleasantly I find that it is just a rabbit. One that can climb trees then proceed to leap off more than fifteen feet from the branch and land successfully. Not to mention it may or may not be able to speak to humans?

With all the courage I have left I say aloud, "If you can really talk then tell me why you want me to follow you."

It freezes in its tracks after moving quite far ahead of me. It allows me to approach it slowly but only when I get close enough to touch it, the creature responds smoothly, "Home."

I jump back, not being able to pry my eyes off the beautifully giant animal that's now a few yards in front of me. He doesn't face me but I know he was the one who spoke. I'm completly baffled by everything I've recently witnessed but still manage to stammer back, "I don't have a home."

"You will."

By the way I was mumbling I'm surprised it understood my words. I just stare at it with my mouth agape as it slowly turns around to take a look at me. I'm unable to keep my eyes on it, seeing it as the most intimidating living being I've ever come across in my life.

But maybe he is harmless. Maybe he can help me. I force myself to look down at the puffball of white that could be mistaken by anymore for a plain old rabbit. Instantly I regret my decision of staring at it with wonder, discovering that its eyes are a strange purple. I'm about to reach out for him when he vanishes into thin air as if he never existed in the first place. I take a breath but can't get air into my lungs, feeling like the wind was knocked out of me entirely. Everything swirls as my eyes unintentionally flutter closed and my body hits the hard ground.

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