Recycling Bin :)

Chapter Four: Far Cry from a Fairytale

When I first started coming here, everything from reality was like a blur and I could barely remember anything. It had freaked me out at the time because what 8 year old wouldn’t be? Mrs. White had been the first one to interrogate me but I had only answered with ‘I don’t know’s and ‘I don’t remember’.

Our footsteps once again remained the only sound as we made our way up the tree lined hill. As we went up, the trees began to become more and more Baden of their leaves. Their bark also began to darken.

"Why are these trees like this? All dark and twisted," I asked Peter while finally breaking the silence.

"I've never told you the story?" He sounded baffled and a little confused probably on his own behalf. I shook my head, my hair falling into my face and creating a shield as I did so. Begrudgingly, I pulled it back into its ponytail held by a piece of narrow fabric.

"Legend has it that before Iyria and Tehall were enemies, they were allies. The kings were friends. This was long before I or my parents were born though," he began in a strong, story-telling voice. His voice became very dramatic and deeper- causing me to think he should be an actor. I snorted at myself when I realized he wasn't acting.

"The forest itself was beautiful. It's said that the trees were so green they shone like emeralds in the sun. Apparently, the bark of the trees in the innards of the forest brought good fortune and well being.

"They used to have merchants and small packs of knights lining the path between the two towns. They planned to make it as safe and as smooth a journey for the travelers who were worried about the trek. At the beginning, it had worked and more people began to walk or ride to either of the towns. It brought more money to both towns; more people, more business.

"Then, on one regular day, a dark shadow cast itself over the forest. People had been venturing off the path and taking pieces of the lush forest for themselves for a good while and it seemed the forest was getting angry. The shadow turned the trees from bright and cheery to dark and malicious. People on the path began running because they were scared but for those who ventured off the path at that time never were seen again.

"It's said that the witch of the wilds is the forest's guardian and became angry at the citizens for treating the forest so poorly. She became so mad that she created a spell that turned both the forest and her into dark and scary monsters. Now, the bark of the trees brings bad luck to any that try to take a piece."

I blinked at him, slowly taking in the story and its odd qualities. He continued to walk steadily forward, obviously unaffected by my questioning stare.

“Ah, here we are!” he exclaimed, causing me to jump at his sudden interruption. He glanced over at me finally and cracked a grin. “Are you awake, Caroline?” He chuckled deeply and I rolled my eyes, but turned towards where the entrance to the forest was.

My stomach dropped down to the ground once I had taken a simple look at it. Something about the forest just caused me to feel sick.

We both stood in silence as we looked up at the ominous trees and their dark colour. I couldn’t imagine what they had looked like before this. They were so dark now that they could’ve never possessed the light Peter had said they once did.

“Far cry from a fairytale forest,” I muttered under my breath before I realized it. I quickly glanced over at Peter who either chose to ignore it or simply didn’t hear it. He was squinting at the black winding gates that were about 50 feet away.

“There’s something there,” he said suddenly.

“What?” I looked at the gates myself, squinting at the entrance to the forest.