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𝐘 𝐎 𝐔

The sun stood low on a cold evening, casting a warm orange glow over the forest you had escaped into. This forest was one you had never been in before, but you had heard plenty of stories of people stumbling in and never coming back out. One would say it was because of the wild animals living there, others would say it was because of a spirit ruling it’s grounds. Either way the thought terrified you, but you didn’t really have a choice in the matter.

Just a few hours prior you had woken up in a cold sweat after a certain dream, a dream you had had six times before. In the dream you had spoken to a ginormous astral being that called itself Arishem. This being had explained to you that now was the time for you to accept his mission, and that this mission would be your purpose. Though, as you woke you remembered nothing of the dream or of the odd being. The only thing you had plastered on your mind was the command to go to the Amazon forest.

The thought had plagued you for a week at least, confusing you, slowly ripping you apart. Anywhere you went your mind would go wild trying to get you to obey the command. You woke up in a cold sweat at least six more times, and that was the final drop. The seventh time you woke up in a wet shirt sticking to your sides you got up with newfound determination to get this stupid thought over with. You called in sick for work and took a plane to Brazil that afternoon.

This decision might have been an irrational one, but you really didn’t stand being plagued by whatever had been affecting you any longer. The most frustrating thing was that you had no idea why you had to go to the forest, or what had been happening while you weren’t conscious.

You turn around to see how far you had gone, only to see that the path behind you had closed up almost completely, as if the trees had come to life to lock you inside the forest. If there was any situation that fit the description deserted and locked up, it was this one. 

Slowly you were starting to panic, feeling your heartbeat speed up. Just then you heard a rustle. Initially you couldn't quite place where the noise came from, a part of you wanted to write it off as an animal, but it was as if eyes were burning into the back of your head. Your pulse quickened. The forest was now nearly pitch black, the sun all the way under the horizon, the only light keeping you comfort being that of the moon.

As you hear more rustling from different directions your fight or flight seems to activate, making you start to walk backwards, back where you came from. With small, calculated steps you try to move back without tripping, checking your surroundings feverishly, though you don't make it very far as a hand closes around your bicep. You flinch, turning toward your captor, inspecting him in blind panic. A frown appears on your face as you inspect his eyes. The man's eyes are completely gold and glowing, without a pupil. 

"Don't panic, just walk along," The man says, in a tone that almost sounds forced, like the end of a gun was pressed to his temple, though he seemed to be the only person around so that would hardly be possible. 

Dazed by the initial panic and the fact you had no idea what this man could do to you if you were to resist, you walked along best as you could on the unruly forest grounds. You had no idea where you could possibly be headed but the man seemed to be on autopilot, easily avoiding big plants and trees to march further forward. It was as if he knew the unruly forest like the back of his hand.

Just as you were about to start asking some of the questions that were brimming on your mind a clearing came into view. And with that clearing came the sounds of... A busy village? 

As soon as you stepped out of the last of the bushes you could finally properly lay your eyes on the village you had been led to. It seemed old, ancient almost, but the people were active and working seemingly without any connection to the outside world. They were happily working and conversing in what seemed to be an ancient form of Spanish, a form that definitely hadn’t been spoken for many years. It was as if these people never developed past the stone age.

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⏰ Last updated: Nov 23, 2021 ⏰

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