The Secret of the Forest

Chapter 5: Observation

A few minutes had passed and Phoebe mentally slapped herself for giving him so much power over her. She was done with just sitting on the floor and allowing him to intimidate her. Once she was standing, she brushed the dirt off of her clothes and looked around for her next course of action. She figured that since Orion had just left, he most likely wouldn't be watching her at the moment, and so she made her way over to one of the oak trees. With one foot on a rock beside its roots, she launched herself upwards and attempted to climb in order to get an idea of what direction to travel. She raised her right arm to grab a branch, only for it to be halted by a hard surface. Lifting her eyes in confusion she observed that there was nothing there to block her, however when elevating her hand once more, it was met by what felt like a ceiling. She could not climb any higher due to the solidified layer of air, and so she dismounted the tree and felt her feet touch the ground floor again.

"Orion must have taken precautions so that I wouldn't climb any of the trees and figure my way out," she realized. "He must have used some spell or something to have created that clear wall... wait no, what am I saying? God, I've only been here for less than half a day and I'm already talking about spells and other nonsense!"

With a shake of her head she continued journeying through the woods, when her ears detected a low rumbling sound. She could feel goosebumps arise along her limbs due to her previous encounter with the noise. When she heard it for the second time she came to the realization that it was not another earthquake, but just the grumbling of her stomach. She was now able to recognize how hungry and parched she truly was from all the walking and running she had done. She thought of the filled water bottle she had packed and was discouraged when she remembered that she had already finished it off before being transported to wherever she was now. Phoebe registered that in addition to Orion's sick games, she would face starvation and dehydration if she didn't figure something out soon. Not to mention, she would also have to start contemplating how and where she would be sleeping and what she would use for a shelter.

With the knowledge that she would have to start looking out for something to satisfy her hunger and thirst, she began walking again. She allowed her thoughts to wander and realized how peaceful the woods had become now that Orion's energy was no longer in proximity. Casting her eyes upwards, Phoebe observed the sunlight gleaming through the tree's thick branches, illuminating the foliage that concealed them. For a moment, she felt as if she was home and in her own forest. The place that had been her safe haven and her sanctuary from all of her troubles. She would have never envisioned, not even in her darkest nightmares, that the acres whose vegetation had enveloped her in a warm hug of protection and comfort, could morph into the hell she was currently condemned to. Phoebe had to remind herself once again that this was not her forest and that she was now in a monster's own version of it. Although, these dark thoughts were only replaced by her worry for her grandmother.

"I wonder if she's come looking for me yet," she mulled over. "God, I hope she doesn't get transported to where I am or get hurt looking for me. But if I'm in a different world or something, does that mean that time is different? I wish I knew how long I've been gone there. But no matter what, I have to get back. I will not give up on being with the only family member I have left."

Her thoughts left her as the sound of rushing water took a hold of her attention. She began traveling in the sound's direction and as she pushed past one last bush, she found herself on the bank of a river. Her memory had no recollection of ever seeing a river when exploring through the forest, yet here she had stumbled upon a flowing stream. She came to the conclusion that this couldn't be just a copy of her own forest and that it was completely its own. The creek was rather thin but was, in all honesty, breathtaking. It was filled with crystal clear water and shining black stones that popped out through its surface. Each side of the bank was carpeted with rich green grass and small purple flowers that decorated the viridescent lawn. Forgetting her circumstances momentarily, the beauty and serenity of the area caused a smile to lift up the corners of her lips. She knew that to be completely sanitary she should boil the water before drinking it, however, she neither had the time nor materials to do such a thing. Also, the water looked to be incredibly clear; thus she proceeded to kneel on the grass and lowered her mouth toward it. Anyways, she'd much rather die from drinking unsanitary water than let Orion have the satisfaction of killing her. She inwardly smiled at the thought of how annoyed he would be if she were to be the cause of her own death only after his first little game. The water was cool and soothed her aching throat as she drank it down in great gulps. Once her thirst was quenched, she sat back on her heals and proceeded to fill her emptied water bottle and then wash her filthy hands in the water. When finished, she lay down on the warm grass and looked up at the deep blue of the sky, devoid of any clouds. She had to confess, Orion's forest was utterly stunning. Colors were brighter than she ever remembered them being, the temperature was pleasantly warm, and the plants seemed to have a certain vivacity they had not possessed in her own forest. If she were not attempting to escape the clutches of a wild madman and return to her own world with her grandmother, she would have thought this place was utter heaven and would have spent all of her time studying and enjoying the magical woods. She could feel the sunlight warming her face and she drifted off into sleep with the calm rushing of the river acting as nature's lullaby, drawing her into complete tranquility and allowing her to forget her troubles for a short amount of time.

A figure revealed himself from behind the coverage of a thick oak tree and approached the girl's still form. The graceful placement of his feet on the ground made no sound, not even the crunching of a leaf or the snapping of a twig. After all, he knew each inch of the forest as well as he knew his own skin, he would even consider the woods and all of its inhabitants as simply an extension of his body. Orion reached her reposed shape and peered down. After seeing that she was completely lost in her world of slumber, he permitted himself to fully observe the creature before him. He had to concede that she was remarkably pretty. In all of his time ruling over the terrain he had encountered a variety of people who had either knowingly or unknowingly walked straight to their deaths, and so he had seen girls and women that were, he supposed, attractive. However, they all paled in in comparison to her. Perhaps it was just her determination and spirited nature that made her more engaging. He crouched down and brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. Her skin was incredibly soft and warm, and he was displeased that he had to keep his touch as light as a feather. He could feel the pounding of his heart increase as he moved his hand downwards and grazed his fingertips against the skin of her neck. It was truly quite odd; his heart did not usually exercise itself this much. He moved around the forest with ease and grace, never tiring or exerting himself with the use of magic and skill on his side. Of course, his heart thumped and his blood pumped faster when feeding on the excitement of his challenges and especially during the final killing of his victims. Although, the pulsing he could currently feel against the walls of his chest differed somehow. He snapped out of his reverie and stood up straight, his eyes lingering on the resting girl. While asleep her face was youthful, delicate, and untroubled, and he did enjoy looking upon her state of vulnerability. However, he liked her features when they were full of fire, wit, and spunk much better. It would be entirely facile for him to just kill her now, but where would the fun be in that? In addition, he definitely didn't want her to leave anytime soon; there were still so many challenges for her to face. With that thought in mind, he bid farewell to his little plaything and strode away, giving her a little more time until her placid respite would have to come to an inevitable end.