The forbidden forest

CHAPTER ONE The Forest I was running. I didn’t know where I was going or what I was running from. All I knew was that I needed to get away. The trees around me were enormous, their twisted branches stretching toward one another and blocking out the sky. Bushes scratched against my bare legs as I stumbled through the darkness, barely able to see the path ahead. My lungs burned, and my legs ached, but I couldn’t stop. Something was behind me. I couldn’t hear its footsteps, and I couldn’t see its shadow. Still, I knew it was there. I could feel it following me, getting closer with every passing second. I glanced over my shoulder. Nothing. Only trees and darkness. I turned forward and ran faster. Where was I? How had I gotten here? Why couldn’t I find my way out? The questions rushed through my mind, but none of them had answers. I didn’t even know how long I’d been running. Every direction looked the same, and the forest seemed to stretch endlessly. “Help!” I screamed. My voice echoed between the trees. Nobody answered. I tried again, shouting until my throat hurt, but the silence swallowed my words. Then I saw them. Two blue eyes staring at me from between the trees. I stopped so suddenly that I nearly fell. The eyes were unlike anything I’d ever seen. They glowed faintly in the darkness, their blue colour almost beautiful. Almost. Because despite their strange beauty, I was terrified. I couldn’t explain why. There was something strangely calming about them, something that made me want to keep looking. Yet every instinct in my body screamed at me to run. The eyes remained fixed on me. Watching. I took a step backward. “Who are you?” I whispered. There was no answer. I looked around desperately, searching for another path, but the trees surrounded me on every side. The darkness seemed thicker than before, and I suddenly felt trapped. When I looked back, the eyes were gone. My heart pounded. Where had they gone? I searched the shadows, turning from one side to another. Then I heard a branch snap behind me. I spun around. Nothing. A low growl broke the silence. I froze. I didn’t wait to discover where it had come from. I turned and ran, pushing through the trees as fast as my exhausted legs could carry me. Something was chasing me. I knew it. I could feel its presence behind me, close enough to make the hairs on my neck stand. I didn’t dare look back. I was afraid that if I did, I would see something I could never forget. Branches struck my face as I ran. My feet hurt, and tears blurred my vision, but I kept moving. “Please, leave me alone!” I didn’t know who I was begging. I only knew that I wanted to escape. Suddenly, I heard a whisper. “Brie.” I stopped. Someone had called my name. Slowly, I turned around. The blue eyes were there again. This time, they were much closer. I couldn’t see a face or make out the figure standing behind them. All I could see were those eyes staring directly at me. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. Then a tall shadow moved between the trees. It took a step toward me. I stumbled backward. “No. Stay away!” The figure stopped. For a moment, the forest became completely silent. Then a voice whispered from the darkness. “I’ve been looking for you.” A chill swept through my body. Looking for me? Why? I had never been here before. I didn’t know who this figure was or why it knew my name. But somehow, I knew it wasn’t going to let me leave. It moved closer. I turned to run, but the voice followed me. “Brie.” I screamed. And woke up. I sat upright in bed, gasping for air. My hands clutched the sheets as my eyes darted around the room. My bedroom. I was in my bedroom. There were no trees, no shadows, and no blue eyes staring at me from the darkness. Just my wardrobe, my bedside table, and the morning light coming through the curtains. I pressed a trembling hand against my chest. My heart was beating so fast it hurt. “Oh, God.” I wiped the sweat from my forehead and took several deep breaths. Another nightmare. The same nightmare. I leaned against my pillows, trying to calm myself. It was only a dream, I reminded myself. Dreams were strange, sometimes frightening, and often meaningless. But those blue eyes refused to leave my mind. I could still picture them clearly, watching me from the darkness as though they knew something I didn’t. I shook my head. “Not again.” My alarm started ringing, making me jump. I grabbed my phone and silenced it, then groaned when I saw the time. School. Of course. Apparently, being chased through a terrifying forest in my sleep wasn’t a good enough reason to stay in bed. I hurried into the bathroom, showered, and dressed for school. After brushing my hair and packing my books, I took one last look around my bedroom. Everything seemed normal. I forced myself to look away from the window and grabbed my bag. I wasn’t going to let a nightmare ruin my day. As I hurried downstairs, the smell of breakfast reached me. I stopped in the kitchen doorway. My mother stood beside the counter, dressed in a simple blouse and dark trousers. Her hair was neatly pulled back, and a cup of coffee sat beside her while she checked something on her phone. For a moment, I simply stared at her. Then I smiled. “Mum!” She looked up, and her face brightened. “Good morning, sweetheart.” I hurried over and wrapped my arms around her. She laughed softly, putting her phone down to hug me back. “Someone seems happy to see me.” “Of course I am. You’re actually home!” She pulled away and gave me a playful look. “Are you saying I don’t spend enough time with you?” “I would never say that.” “Really?” “Okay, maybe I would.” She laughed, and I joined her. My mother was a doctor, which meant her schedule was almost impossible to predict. Sometimes she left home before I woke up and returned long after I had gone to bed. Other times, an emergency call interrupted the little time we managed to spend together. I understood that her work was important. She helped people and did something she genuinely loved. Still, I missed her. She was the only parent I had ever known. My father had abandoned us when I was little. I had never met him, never heard his voice, and never had the chance to ask him why he had left. When I was younger, I used to ask Mum questions about him. Why had he left? Did he ever think about me? Would he come back one day? She always answered as honestly as she could. He had chosen to leave, she told me, and she couldn’t explain his decisions. Eventually, I stopped asking. I had my mother, and she loved me enough that I rarely felt the absence of someone who had never been there. “Have you eaten?” Mum asked. “Not yet.” “Then sit down before your food gets cold.” I obeyed, dropping my bag beside the chair. She placed a plate of breakfast in front of me and sat opposite me with her coffee. We talked while I ate. She asked about school, and I complained about an assignment that had taken me longer than expected. I also told her about a classmate who had managed to annoy our entire class before the first lesson had even started. Mum laughed. “You sound like you have a lot going on.” “You have no idea.” For a few minutes, I forgot about the nightmare. I forgot about the forest and the eyes that had frightened me so badly. I was simply a girl having breakfast with her mother. I wished mornings like this happened more often. Then Mum studied my face. “Brie, are you alright?” My spoon paused. “Yes. Why?” “You look tired.” “I didn’t sleep very well.” “Were you studying late?” I hesitated. The nightmare returned to my mind. The trees. The running. Those blue eyes. I wanted to tell her everything, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. What would she think if I told her I kept dreaming about a forest I’d never visited? What would she say if I admitted that the same terrifying eyes appeared every time? She might tell me it was stress or that I needed more sleep. And what if she thought I was strange? I didn’t want my own mother looking at me as though something was wrong with me. So I forced a smile. “Just school stuff. I think I stayed up too late.” She studied me for a moment. “Are you sure?” I nodded. “Yes, Mum. I’m fine.” She reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “Alright, sweetheart. But you know you can talk to me about anything, don’t you?” My throat tightened. “I know.” “If something is bothering you, you don’t have to handle it alone.” I looked down at our joined hands. If only she knew. “Thanks, Mum.” She smiled and released my hand. “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together.” I nodded, but I couldn’t tell her. Not yet. Maybe I would find the courage someday. For now, I wanted to enjoy the little time I had with her. Mum glanced at the clock and sighed. “I need to leave soon. There’s a meeting at the hospital.” My smile faded. “Already?” “I’m sorry, baby. I wish I could stay longer.” “It’s okay.” She brushed a strand of hair away from my face. “I’ll try to come home early tonight. We can have dinner together.” “Promise?” “Promise.” I stood and hugged her again. “Love you, Mum.” She kissed my forehead. “Love you more. Have a good day, and please get some proper rest tonight.” “I will.” “And pay attention in class.” I grinned. “I always pay attention.” She raised an eyebrow. “Brie.” “Okay, sometimes.” She laughed, and I hurried toward the door before she could lecture me. Outside, the morning air felt cool against my skin. The neighbourhood was already awake, with cars moving along the road and people hurrying toward their destinations. Everything seemed ordinary. I adjusted my bag and started walking to school. I tried to concentrate on the day ahead, thinking about my classes and the assignments I needed to complete. I reminded myself that nightmares were normal and that there was no reason to be frightened. But halfway down the street, I slowed. I couldn’t explain why. I simply had the uncomfortable feeling that someone was watching me. I glanced over my shoulder. A few people walked along the pavement. A woman stood outside a shop, arranging items on a table, while a car passed through the street. Nothing seemed unusual. I faced forward and continued walking. Still, the feeling remained. I tried to ignore it, but my thoughts kept returning to the forest. The blue eyes. The voice. The terrible certainty that something had been chasing me. I swallowed and quickened my pace.