The Forbidden Land: Dark Blood

Chapter 1

I spent my Friday night in my living room with my best and only friend Hazel, who was unironiclly named for the color of her eyes. I've known her basically my whole life and I don't know what I would do without her. She was allowed over once a week for 2 hours. She would bring me pictures and vinyl records since I never left the house. She was my only connection to the outside world. The last time I was out in society was when I was 6, that was 11 years ago.
We sit on the sofa listening to rubber soul by the Beatles and trying to open this old locked book Hazel got for me at an antique store. The pages looked wore and the leather covering was cracked in some parts but it looked cool so we wanted to see what's in it. "What if we just cut the lock?" I suggest. "You can't be around sharp objects, and being we don't want to damage it, what if it's worth a lot of money." She says pulling on the strap. "I think ripping the strap counts as damage." I grab the book running my fingers along the cover which had some odd symbols engraved in it along with a big circular indentation in the center. "Do you think it's a language or just for design?" I ask. "Eh probably just design I've never seen a language like that, let's watch a movie." She says turning the tv on. We watch the Breakfast Club because it's short enough to finish and it's also Hazels favorite movie ever.
My aunt Tess comes home from work about half way through the movie with a pre cooked roasted chicken and some mash potatoes. She brings me and hazel a plate and joins us for the rest of the movie.
Tess was a true saint, she took me in after my mom died. She always tried to make me feel like it wasn't my fault and sometimes I almost believed her but that's why I stay in this house, to protect the world.
     After Hazel leaves I go up to the bathroom to shower. I wash off quickly but rather than getting out I stand directly under the faucet letting the water pour down on me like I was standing under a waterfall deep in a forest. After about 10 minutes of that I snap back to reality and get out. I squeeze as much water out of my hair brown slightly wavy hair before twisting it up in a lopsided bun. "Holy shit!" I scream spinning around so fast I almost slip. I could have swore I saw red eyes in the foggy mirror but nothing was behind me. My aunt Tess was now banging on the door asking if I was alright and if I had cut myself in something. I tell her there was a spider because I didn't want to tell her I thought I was losing my mind.
I go into my room which was filled with bright colors and odd objects. I put away the stuff hazel had brought me, putting the book on my book shelf with the other 3 books I owned as I wasn't a big reader, filing my record in with the rest in alphabetical order by artist, and putting the ruby earring in a jewelry box by my bed.
I sit in bed drawing a picture of a landscape that I saw online. I like drawing beautiful places because it makes me feel slightly more connected to it and feel a little better about the fact that the most beautiful place I'll ever go is my sunroom that looks out on a halfway decent pond.
At around 12:30am I decide to call it a night and I turn off the lights and begin to doze off. I was in a light sleep when I hear a thud that causes me to spring awake. I turn on my lamp and look around to find the source of the sound. The book was on the ground face down, open. Maybe it was on the edge of the bookshelf and so it fell causing the lock to break, I told my self which was most definitely not the case.
I look at the book, the page had a drawing of a forest and the rest of the pages seemed to be blank. Odd but just lucky I told my self. The book starts to get covered in frost and I drop it. "What the hell." I whisper, not wanting to wake my aunt. Next thing I know, snow is falling onto my floor out of nowhere. I rub my eyes in disbelief and when I open them I'm in a snowy forest. I stare in horror "Ahhh what the fuck!" I exclaim, my voice echoing of the trees.
I pinch myself convinced I'm dreaming, nothing. I then aggressively rub my eyes still nothing. "This isn't fucking real!" I scream striking myself across the face with an open hand. Nothing, except a slightly throbbing face.
I pick up the book slamming it shut and I begin frantically looking around. It was freezing and I was in shots and a loose tank top so I was miserable. I think I see what looks like a castle of some sort in the distance just passed the tree line.
I start quickly walking in that direction still praying this is just a dream. I was so cold my skin had started to go numb and I was at the point where I wanted to cry.
It took what felt like an hour to reach the dark and eerie castle where I was met by a very sinister looking guard. His face was all cut up and he had a firm grip around his sword as I approached.

A/N- Just wanted to say really quick that I hope you're at least semi intrigued by my story so far. I'm try my best to edit out mistakes so please bare with me. Please feel free to give feed back throughout the story. The plan is for this to be a multi book series so hope you enjoy.