Silent Secrets

Chapter 1 - Amaliya Forest

Bambi didn't know why her life was trapped inside the Amaliya forest, she didn't know why, every day she would wake up to the same whistling of the wind brushing against the enchanted trees; the same rustling of the bushes as the fallow deer leap blissfully, playing with one an other. The same gleaming sun causing small rainbows spread across her bedroom wall. All she knew was that she was not allowed to leave. She was not allowed to experience the world like any other normal teenager would. She wasn't allowed to go out and party, or get a partner or even pop to the shop to get the grocery's for her Dad. She wasn't convinced Isaac was a 'normal' Dad either, she could see past his warm-hearted smile and his old tatty jumper that smelt comforting, just like home, she could see in his eyes that they weren't as innocent as he made them seem, that there were some sort of secrets hidden behind them, hidden far behind them. He was very secretive he would often leave for days on end with ought any warning so Bambi would be left by herself, left to her thoughts about what life could be like if she just left, ran away for the distant hills to maybe have a slight chance of being normal.
    Her cabin was small and not well built but it did the job, she had her own room despite the cabin being so small whilst her Dad, Isaac slept on the sofa in the living room, if you could even call it that. They did have a kitchen but it was mostly filled with the vegetables and fruit from Bambis Green house just down the path a little bit deeper in the woods. The Amaliya Forest was a beautiful place, quite an enchanting place actually. The trees had a slight glow to them, so did the mushrooms. Crystal clear rivers looped round giant hanging willow trees and rabbits played hopscotch over the small rocks to get to the other side.
     "Buddy, Buddy where are you"
a small fox leaped out from behind a tree and came to great Bambi gleefully. Bambi gave buddy a quick pat on his small, soft head before handing him some of her freshly picked vegetables she had just gathered and runs back home to give the rest to her Dad for dinner.
    "Dad im back! The harvest was great except for the tomatoes, it looks like some pests got in."
    "Ah, know worries love hopefully next time, for now ill make us up something to eat"
Bambi pondered over to the small, hand made table and plopped herself down onto the also hand made cushions, her stomach rumbling terribly. She stared out the small, broken window looking into the distance where she could slightly make out the staggered rooftops of the old village a few miles from Amaliya.
     "Dad, why can't I go to the village over there? Why cant I just go and look at it, I don't even have to go in"
Isaac turned to her and looked her dead in the eye
    "As I have told you many times you must never, ever and I mean EVER step foot out of this forest unless I have told you to do so. Do you understand... DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
Bambi quivered never really seeing her Dad that angry before "y..yes Dad im sorry I asked"
Isaac took a step back leaning onto the counter, almost ashamed of himself
"Oh Honey im sorry I shouted, you know its just because I care about you so much and the world is not what you think it is, it might seem all fun and games until you actually get out there and realise the cruel, vicious place it is."
    The rest of the dinner went miserably slow, the silence was terrifyingly awkward, the only noise was the accessional scrapping of the plate or a slurp of the water they collect from the river and purify themselves. Even though Bambi was a little bit frightened about what Issac had shown her, at the end of dinner she still took his plate of him, put her thick winter coat on as it was getting dark as it got later into the deep, frosty winter, her wellies on as it had recently been raining and wandered over to the river to clean the plates. She did this every night because their cabin didnt have running water, they were to poor to afford a proper house, let alone fresh, clean water, and one thing Isaac had always taught her was that no matter what happens to you in this world, whatever challenges you come across, the highs and lows, through it all kindness will always find its way through to bring a glimpse of happiness, so every night, since Isaac made her every meal, wether he was feeling up to it or not, she would always do him the favour of washing up.
    Isaac and Bambi had always lived this simple life alone, just the two of them. Bambi had never asked about her mother (who she had never met) but she did think to every now and again, she just worried that it might upset her Dad and she wouldn't want to do that because she loved him so much, Even though he was secretive and kept to himself a lot , he had loved her and looked after her all her life and she couldn't imagine how hard it would be to raise a kid alone, especially when you have no money, no resources and practically have to live of off distant, lonley forest of Amaliya.
    The sun had completely gone down now and the stars filled the sky like paint splatters just prettier and more magical. Bambi didn't want to be in the dark alone because you never knew what strange, fascinating but dangerous creatures could be lurking in the darkness of the forest so she hurried on home, watching for the long twisty roots of the towering trees above her.
    As she creeped through the door she heard a strange muttering or even whimpering sound. It was Isaac. He was sat on the sofa with his hands smothering his face muttering something about leaving but it was very hard to understand as after everything he said he'd take in a massive breath as if he couldn't breath. Bambi didn't want to bother her Dad so she quietly snuck into her bedroom, closed the door and slumped onto her bed. She was getting tired of this life, she wanted something more, something exciting so she could leave this hopeless way of living behind and start fresh. She got into some clothes she found piled on the floor, turned of the lights and slid under her ragged, ripped blanket.
    The night was going normally just like every other night until.....
     "BANG"
Bambi jumped out of bed and rushed to her window to see a mysterious, tall black figure which looked like a girl running into the shadows.
'"DAD, DAD WHERE ARE YOU DAD, IM SO SORRY ABOUT EARLIER JUST PLEASE, PLEASE COME HERE IM SCARED" No answer, she screamed again
"DAD PLEASE DAD'
still no answer. She rushed into the living room, panic flooding over her. The door was broken down, the room was a mess, the cupboards empty, all of her food she picked gone, the table her and her dad spent ages making split down the middle, but perfectly there lay a gold, leather book in the middle of the table, a book that looked so valuable it shouldn't even be seen in a place like her house. What was going on?Where was Isaac? What is that book?