Mythos

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"Happy birthday to you!" We all sang to my dad. Dad sat there with a big goofy grin. Having his friends and family around.

"Thank you." dad says as he blows out the candle to the small 3 layer cake. Vanilla flavored just like he likes it.

"Who wants cake?" Mom calls out. Dad laughs and we all enjoy the day. I look at the clock and notice its only 1 o'clock.

"I should get going." I say.

"What why?" Mom says.

"I just have things to do." I say.

"But why cant you stay? Youll make your father sad." Mom says.

"Its fine Katie." Dad says as he takes bites of his cake.

"Robbert no more cake for you, and Athena please stay we barely see you." Mom says as she tries to take the plate of cake away from dad. She tries to control his diet a lot.

"I know and i am sorry i am always busy, i just have lots to do." I say. "How about next weekend i come by, matter of fact why dont you come and visit?"

"That sounds wonderful." Dad says. He then takes a huge bite of cake while mom is distracted.

"But sweetie, all these people are here." Mom says through her smiling teeth.

"Katie, if she doesnt want to stay, she doesnt have to, leave her be." Dad gives mom a hard expression. Mom then puts the plate down and leaves the room. i sigh and follow her. But dad grabs my hand.

"If you follow her you know she'll gaslight you into staying." Dad whispers. He then looks at me, waiting for my choice. I look at where mom ran off to. I feel bad but dad is right, she'll just gaslight me into staying when all i want is to be alone. Go on a hike and just breath in the natural air. Its better now before it gets dark.

Although i cant just leave mom like that. But then again.

"By the way, i really love your gifts. They are precious. Especially the new whiskey set." Dad smiles brightly. And he was the reason i was here in the first place for him. I really love dad.

"Now go, i know how you get around these things, your mom always forces you into something and then you try to leave and makes you feel bad about it. So just go ill be fine, and ill come and visit you next saturday, How about that?" Dad says.

"I would love that." I say. "But are you sure you dont want me to stay?" I ask him.

"I am going to hide soon, i barely know most of these people." Dad whispers. He then kisses my cheek and i get up and leave. I say goodbye to everyone.

I walk out and look back, i see mom looking out the window crying. I am tempted to go back in but dad is right. She will just force to to do things i dont like.

I then get in my car and drive away. I was home in no time, mom doesnt understand the fact that i dont like being around too many people, i mean i wish i could have stayed longer for dad but atleast he understands. Dad has always been caring, my superhero, always there for me, always picking me up when i wasnt feeling well. Mom was also caring but very judgemental. Always told me to suck in my gut. Tried to make me into a beauty queen, but i never really liked that sort of life style. Never at all, I mostly liked what dad did. He would sit down at the table and talk about the leghts and sizes of walls and panels and such. I liked seeing the way he could make a house. I then started to draw houses and rooms sizes.

Became good in math. I could have gone more into construction, but then i for some reason chose real estate. I liked working in the office helping people find a home or even help in any way i could.

Mom was furious i chose real estate.

"You could have become a model, you have the looks for it, i mean you would look better if you lost more weight." Mom had said. It really pissed me off. Mom would weigh me a lot and get mad, but i was tall so no matter what i would weight a little more. My height now is 5'7 and i weight about 138. Which is not bad. But its not good enough for mom.

I get home and change into Leggins and a nice t-shirt, with some Nike running shoes. I put my hair into a tight ponytail. I grab my phone and keys and then head out quickly. I drive 40 minutes until i find my favorite national park and then get out of my car.

Shit i forgot my water. Its ok itll be a quick walk.

I take the usual trail and then look around, hmm weird theres no one around. I wonder why that is?

I keep walking feeling fine as i look around me. The trees are starting to bring colors around. The scenery is becoming more and more lively as i walk further. I take deep breaths and begin to smell that dewy smell the rain leaves once it splashes around the trees and grass.

I feel more lively, more relaxed forgetting the stressful things in my life. Mom and her judgemental ways. Work, the new house and the new clients and the meeting thats coming up this week. At least next weekend ill get to see dad and tomorrow ill get to spend sometime with Nari.

I cant wait to spend time with her. From the first time we met we became good friends. We had 3 of the same classes. We would study and go to parties together. Even have sleepovers. College was great because of her. She became my college best friend. And then came graduation, which i hated so much. Nari had to go back to Korea. We both cried that night and i acompanied her to the airport where we cried. That was the last time I saw her, we tried talking on the phone every once in a while but life became so much.

I began working and then getting my new car and apartment. Work become more and more stressful and thats all i could focus on.

I think finally i am starting to take control of things. Nari has finally moved back so maybe ill be able to go out more. Have more fun.

I then stop my rambling thoughts as i stop. Theres a huge tree trunk in the way. Now i see why there wasnt people around, the rain must of made the tree fall somehow. The top of the mountain is just up ahead. Maybe if i take the other way around i could get there just fine. Or just go back home.

I do want to get on top of the mountain. I then walk around the tree and take another trail, its more hidden and takes a couple of more turns. Hopefully i dont get lost. I take the steps around the tree and keep going. I keep taking turns looking up trying to get to the top. Maybe this is big mistake. I should just go back. I take a deep breath and then my foot slides i let out a gasp as i steady myself.

Yeah let me just go back, i could come back another day. My foot then gets stuck on some long grass and then i lose my stance and end up falling down sliding down. I let out a scream as i feel a rock hit my lower back.

I fall down by where the tree had fallen. And then the ground gives away and opens up beneath me i fall down, down. I then land on the ground. I feel my lungs burning and its getting hard to breath. My heart is racing and my back is on fire. I look up and see the opening way too high. When my breathing becomes better i try to get up. But its hard.

I grab my phone, i let out a cry as the phone screen is completely broken and shattered. I try to stand up but i let out a yelp as my back stings. I try to look for a way out and then the ground underneath me opens up again. I try holding on to something as i fall down.

I keep falling down and down the ground opening becoming smaller more and more the further i fall.

Is this how i die? What about mom and dad? Mrs. Granger? Nari? They'll never know what happened to me. They'll find my car and not know what happened. I keep waiting for my body to hit the ground the more i fall down.

Who'll look after Mrs. Granger? Who will buy her groceries? I let out screams and cries as i fall down.

I then open my eyes as i fall, there's light under here, a beautiful tree standing in middle of the darkness. I think i saw someone before my body is completely submerged under water.

The water is so dark, i dont know which way is up. My back hurts and my lungs are burning. I try not to panic and follow the bubbles i follow them until i manage to find the surface of the water. I then take a deep breath as i try to swim to land. To the tree that stands on dry land. Once i make it to the land i begin to cough. Breathing hard. My back still hurts. My hair is all over my face. I lay there trying to breath.

I am alive, i have fallen so many feet underneath the ground and i am still alive. Somehow. How is there water underneath the ground?

I then try to get up and look at the tree. The leaves are pink. And its like its litten up by some kind of light. How is that possible?

I look around me. I am in a large cave. The water is deep, yet theres ground here. I then walk up to the tree, i become closer to it the light dazzling me. It looks like a blossom tree yet its not. Theres something about it. I feel warm the closer i walk to it.

A large powerful voice yells and i jump back looking around. Just behind the tree theres a man standing there. His hair dark and very long. He is not wearing a shirt. A woman is standing next to him. She looks tiny and frail she stands behind him, she looks terrified. What is she terrified of? Of me?

The man speaks again but i dont under him. I look at him confused. What language is he speaking? I never heard such language before. Its not German nor Russian. Who are these guys anyways?

Someone stands behind me. But before i could look i am knocked out.