Message to the Moon - Book 1: The Forest

Chapter Two - A Rough Start

"Thank you for everything."

With those last words I left, leaving behind my home and my father. It wasn't easy, but it had to be done.

***

I heard a dark laughter behind me. Turning around quickly, I held my arms out in front of me. I knew that laughter and I knew what it meant.

Wait, why are my hands so small?

"Aw, look, the trashcan thinks I'm gonna hurt it." Isn't that voice just a memory? I moved my hands to see past them, revealing a child no older than 10. This must be a memory. It had to be. But why did I feel like I was there? "Hey, wake up trash can! It's not fun messing with you if all you do is stare at me." Wake up? I must be in a dream.

I wanted to reply with all the retorts I thought of in the years since these encounters. To fight back like I should have. "I'm not a trash can..." Was all I said. I must not have a say how this dream goes. It'll just play out like it always does.

"Yeah you are. A dirty trash bin!" The child laughed at me. There was more laughter. Were those two other children there this whole time? "I don't get why the rest of the village cares about you. My mom says your just a spoiled, motherless brat. She says your powers aren't special and the people were making a mistake if they think The Orical actually meant you. She said The Orical always spoke in metaphors and riddles anyway! She says I should be the messenger!"

He kicked at my shin then. When I yelped in pain a hand was over my mouth and when I tried to get away there were hands holding me in place. His friends had me where he wanted me. "Give me my job, trash can!" He continued to kick at me, not being shy even when his heel met my nose. All I could do was cry silently from the pain.

When I was just about to lose consciousness I heard another voice. "What's going on over there?" The children stopped their assault when they heard it too. They ran off and hid behind a nearby bush. "Oh sky child!" She ran to my bloodied body, lifting me up gently. I remember how kind those eyes always looked. Bright enough that I thought they held all the light from the sun. "What happened to you, Luka?"

I lulled my head away from her to barely make out the blurry edges of the bush the children hid behind. That's right. They were just products of their environment. It wasn't that kids fault he hated me. He could do better. I always thought that. I never told on them. I never could. "I... I fell?"

"Luka, I know that's a lie. These aren't wounds from a fall." She lifted me effortlessly. I must not have weighed much back then. I was always small for my age. Like I grew up slower than the rest of the children. "You're the sacred messenger. Things like this can't happen to you. You must let us know who keeps doing this to you."

I was silent even after I was laid down and my wounds were being taken care of. I completely refused to put those children in that situation. Not again.

"Sacred messenger, please pay attention. I need to check for a concussion." I nodded to her. I forgot she never called me by name when around others. Why do I remember that hurting so much? Wait, others aren't around...

"Now, stand still while I rip you limb from limb." What? Her voice was suddenly not her own and her eyes were dull and dark. They were filled with a hatred I remember all too vividly. I stared at her, eyes so wide from fear they felt like they might pop from my sockets.

"M-miss... What? Why?" She just looked at me with wild eyes and a sickeningly sweet smile. Strands of her curled hair took to the air, swishing around like snakes. When she lunged at me, so did her hair.

I streaked and jumped off the back of the mattress I was set on. "Stop!" I screamed as I ducked under it.

"But you have to die." I don't want to remember this. This isn't even how it went! It's just a bad dream. It's just a bad dream and I'll wake up eventually! "Awe, don't you know little Luka, dreams are just a different reality."

Her face was inches from mine before I could move. I was now frozen from fear, shaking from head to toe. "I can kill you in every reality." When did her hand get around my neck? When did she drag me out from under there?

"Goodbye, messenger. No one still alive will miss you." Her grip tightened as I started to feel light headed. This is a dream. How did this hurt? How did any of this hurt? Why do I feel like I'm really going to die?

Light. So much light. Is this death? Just blinding light. No, there's a voice. What's it saying? It's just a whisper. Mumbling of a familiar, low voice I can't place.

Then darkness. I still can't breath... I can't see. I want to see. I have to see. Let me see!

***

I woke up violently, sitting straight up immediately as I cough and claw at my neck. I felt sweat pooling at my collar, the cold air of dawn biting at my wet, exposed skin. My throat hurt and my skin felt bruised all over.

It was too much to move or think straight, so I took my time to calm down. My father taught me how to for how often I woke up like this. He said I had to make it instinct before I could go. I had sworn I mastered it. I only half lied.

By time I calmed down I could clearly see the sun just below the tree line now. It was a welcomed warmth that I took the time to bask in. To think and clear my mind of the nightmare and remind myself that it didn't really happen.

That's right, it's my third day out now. I'm already far into Great Forest territory. How could I be so reckless? I only set up things to protect myself from physical danger. Magic is a thing that exists. I know that. Although, so could have sworn I did set up runes my father made for me. I must have just forgotten.

After gathering my stuff and erasing any evidence I spent the night in this clearing I abandoned it. I continued on my path to the second border, following all intrusions my father had given me. There's no room for mistakes! I know that.

But that didn't mean I couldn't take a small detour. If it's for a good enough reason I'm allowed to. So at the sound of running water I jumped at the opportunity, heading for it the second I could tell what direction it was coming from.

I woke up in a cold, icky sweat. It's only logical I clean up. My health is important! Father always told me that if I'm hindered by poor health, I couldn't play my part to save the world? He'd approve of this idea. I know it.

I pushed through some heavy greenery, ignoring the burn from one that whooped me in the face. Uncool, tree branch. I sort of like my face. "Ow ow ow! Okay, that's what I get for having this hair cut. I get it karma, a single long chunk looks cool, but isn't practical. Shut up." I tugged carefully at the pale strands caught in another branch, frustrated but calm.

Once I freed myself from my captor I continued forward until I broke through the shrubbery. I was met with the sound of rushing water and a site almost too hard to explain. The morning beams of sunlight made the water literally sparkle. Many small waterfalls were scattered across an uneven cliffside, cascading down into each other until meeting at the pond at the bottom.

The pond cut into a river further down but still seemed to look peaceful despite all the movement. It was like I transported into another world in an instant. I actually had to look between the path I made behind me and the waterfalls just to be sure I wasn't.

The last time I looked back and forth was when I heard singing. I couldn't make out the words but it sounded like the person the voice belonged to was confident. Proud of the voice even if it sounded painfully average when compared to the beauty of the place it came from.

Too distracted by trying to find the source, I didn't hear footsteps or snapping branches behind me. At least, not until my shoulder was gripped and I was forced to turn around. "Hey!" I exclaimed, rubbing my shoulder. "You can't just go around manhandling ran- D-uhhhh."