Insentient

Chapter 4

I've been walking this path for who knows how long, and I swear, the palace I can see in the distance hasn't gotten any closer than when I started. Surely, this is an optical illusion, I reason, brought about by the varying heights of the land I'm traveling. At least, that's what I want to believe.

I've seen various ramshackle dwellings on my way, nestled in among the rotting trees and scrubby gray brush, but what I haven't seen are the inhabitants.

I almost know they are there, though. I can feel myself being watched and it causes me to pause periodically to look around me.

I reposition my small sack over my opposite shoulder when the distinct sound of cussing reaches my ears. Whoever he is, he has quite the colorful vocabulary as he strings together expletive after expletive. The growling voice is coming from beyond a thick copse of black tree trunks. A thin, well-worn path dissects them and for a moment, I debate whether to investigate or not. It almost sounds as if he is in distress, but then again, the last time I thought that, it didn't end up particularly pleasant for me...

I take another step before a loud thud and another muffled curse explodes from beyond the trees.

"Are you...Ok? Do you need help?" I yell out toward the unseen source of sound.

"Go away!" I hear growled back at me followed by a rasped groan.

I take another step toward my ultimate destination but pause again as a more prolonged groan sounds in the still air around me.

"Do you need help?" I call out again and there is no response. I stand indecisively in the middle of the path when I notice small heads peeping around tree trunks on either side maybe 10 or 20 steps ahead. As soon as I see them, they are gone a split second later.

"Hello?" I prompt, waiting for one or both of the heads to appear again, but they don't. A few more steps and my feet stop and turn when another choked groan disturbs the uncanny silence.

I disregard warnings about staying on the path, reasoning that it didn't end up poorly with Ivan and knowing there was absolutely no possible way for me to continue without helping him.

It honestly sounds as if he's in pain, and while I may not be a medical doctor, I still have some of that training and it spurs me to action.

I find myself stooping to avoid the curling, twisted tendrils of branches as I navigate the small path that curves in several directions until it clears, and a gasp escapes me.

A treehouse stands before me, built up and around massive trunks, it's construction clearly more intricate and solid than the other dwellings I've seen since I've been here. Small bridges connect two other small structures to the main dwelling and all of it presents a charming picture before me.

An arched, stone staircase ascends from a well laid path up to the front door that is artfully created using interwoven branches. It's breathtaking and makes me completely forget my initial reason for coming here.

Another groan shakes me from my stare and immediately, I turn in all directions until I see two small feet poking out from beneath a chunk of tree trunk beyond the structure and almost hidden within dense brush on the forest floor.

My feet carry me swiftly to him as another groan sounds and the trunk moves ever so slightly. From what I can see, the chunk of wood is about three times the size of him and not budging much as he attempts to wiggle out from beneath it.

"Here, let me help you," I state firmly as I drop my sack on the ground and crouch down near the end.

"No. Go away," he barks out breathlessly as our eyes meet. He's small but extremely bulky, like a mini-weightlifter. His is the first face that almost looks human. His nose, eyes and mouth are proportionate to the size of his head except for his skin. It resembles wood grain. It's brown with small black streaks running parallel down his face and neck.