The whisper of Olezhek
CHAPTER 1
Olezhek
Luzie
It was a late summer afternoon. I was alone with the only company of the rustling sounds of leaves. I could hear the echoes of the birds chirping, the whisper of the wind accompanied with a sweet breeze. All these trees kept all their secrets to themselves protecting the soul of the forest from those who wanted to disturb the peace. I've come here since I was 8. How I loved being alone, not like I had another option, I didn't have much friends and my family was always doing their things, most of people warned me not to come here by myself, some say it's dangerous and there's wild animals waiting for me to be distracted and waiting for me be be their dinner, others say that foreigners camp here and they could steal my things, and then there's people that say weird things happen here . Such weird things that they don't even find the words to explain. But how could I not come here?
Nikolai
The darkest shade of green, it was everywhere. How can a color be everywhere? It was on the trees, the shadows on the ground, even in my clothes. But there's something so mysterious about these trees that leaves an uneasy feeling on me. Not to the point of making me feel sick but enough to never let me get my guard down . Just as if each one of them had eyes and they were keeping one on me. Not the kind that watches your back but the kind that tries to warn you of something. Maybe I'm just being paranoid but... How could I not be? with all this silence surrounding me, only with the distant sounds of the crows arguing one with another . The only thing keeping me here was the smell of the petrichor.
Luzie
The last two days I've been having some kind of dusted memories, the kind that appear as if something I've lived before, Only This time Is not just a memory I am in the middle of the night at Olezhek covered with dry leaves from the approaching change of seasons that mark the start of the autumn, the settling fog coming for me till it was the only thing i could see, save for the distant glow of the moon that i now could barely guide me back to where i came from, a sense of panic started overwashing me, but I couldn't move, I was stuck to the ground I felt a pitching sound in my ears, I wanted to scream and run as fast as possible but nothing happened.
No one , no sound , no movement, nothing .
Just me, Olezhek and the mist.
...
Calm.
But is there such a thing as calm?
A shiver .
A shiver was the first thing I felt before something wet dropped on my cheek. How I loved the morning dew, that's when I realised where am I? I opened my eyes abruptly to the view of the tree crowns moving one with another, a sight ray of sunlight colliding with the warmth of my skin even through the chilly weather of the early morning. Last night. A flash of last night came back to my memory, and a non familiar voice spoke up making me jump on my place.
- You know? Is not the smartest decision to fall asleep in the middle of a haunted forest, and you know what is worse? doing it alone, you never know what kind of creep you can encounter - He said at the same time he crossed his legs and rested his back into a tree facing me
- You almost scared me to death! - I snapped, placing a hand on my chest feeling my racing pulse - Next time try announcing yourself before appearing out of nowhere!
-I actually thought you were already dead, but turns out you were just asleep, stiff as a rock. And now here we are ... I'm Nikolai by the way , and you are ?
-None of your business - I barked back
-Why so grumpy? feel off of your bed or what?- he replied with humour, a smirk forming in his face
-So funny- I replied - sorry but I have to leave your little circus, I need to go back to my place. So if you excuse me... - I started to get up, my legs were a little numb so i was slow,
-Wait sorry, I didn't mean to offend you- he apologized, offering me a hand to get up, seems like he has a little manners after all but I ignored him and got up by myself.
- As i was saying if you excuse me -
-You shouldn't be walking around this forest alone- he interrupted me
I frowned - You're literally a stranger , why should I listen to you?
He brushed the dirt from his clothes - Because I know this place better than you do-
I almost laughed . If only he knew - I think i know how to handle myself-
-And you're still alive?-
-Unfortunately for you-
He let out a short laugh - You're funny-
-I wasn't trying to be - I responded him back. He rolled his eyes at me .
-You really are stubborn aswell- I ignored him and tried to get going
He started following my steps
-You really don't trust anyone do you? - I started rushing my pace slightly.
- Should I? -
He stopped and didn't answer. For instinct I stopped also. He evaded my face, instead he looked back to the trees as if looking for something.
-What were you doing here anyway? -
He hesitated
-I just came in a little hunt - Liar. I thought immediately
-Lets get out of here - I replied instead of saying something about it.
