Once Upon a December

Chapter 2

'What comes next?'

That stupid question had taken all your attention the entire morning, rolling around in your head and blocking any other clear thoughts. Why was it such a hard question? Why did you detest it with such vigour? You couldn't help but walk around aimlessly rather than head home after your session had finished and you were cleared. You just... needed to move.

Needed to clear your head. For once, sitting in a room eating chocolate wasn't going to solve this problem. And so here you were, hands in pockets wandering towards the edge of the city. Where the buildings met the tree line and snow became more prominent. You weren't sure why you had always found this spot peaceful, you knew you were found close to here but the sense of security baffled you. Shouldn't you feel scared or unsafe in the place you were found almost dead?

Thoughts aside you couldn't help but pull your clothing tighter as a sudden chill overcomes you, brows furrowing as you look towards where the breeze came from. Towards the tree line.

You shouldn't be surprised. The outer city was closer to the snowy mountain slopes that surround the area and so more than a few cold breezes tended to waft down despite the clear sunny skies. But this one. It wasn't different per say but the feeling you got didn't quite match the usual march of shivers down your spine. This felt more like brain freeze, as if the breeze passed through your skull and your body tensed out of instinct.

However it felt, you simply shook your head trying to ignore the gnawing feeling that was settling in your stomach as your eyes trail back to the snow covered tree line. You had never ventured past it had you? Never even thought to. So why now?

A few moments pass as you stare blankly towards the tree line, thoughts weighing up in your head before the common 'What am I doing?!' resonated in your skull. Face full of exasperation and suddenly taking note of the few passers by who seem to stare at you with questioning gazes, you quickly walk towards home, shrinking in on yourself as you walk. Trying not to look back to the tree line.

Entering your apartment always felt nice, the warm air helping to ease the ache in your bones from standing next to the snow in casual wear. You can't help yourself as you prepare a warm cup of herbal tea mixing a small teaspoon of honey in for its 'health benefits' before curling up on your cushion covered sofa. Yet as you warm up you once again unfocus, eyes staring ahead of you but not really taking anything in as your brain starts to work overtime.

What was it about that forest? You hadn't really thought about it before which was strange considering your tenacious past with it, and the onslaught of nightmares over the years had always taken place there. Actually maybe that was why you hadn't considered it before. That place was woven with your dreams and nightmares. Haunting you even though you hadn't given it a thought.

Maybe you should check it out. In all the years you could remember, you hadn't really tried to figure out what happened to you. Declared a Li Hua and placed into an orphanage, other things had you preoccupied as you were thrust into a confusing world where you couldn't remember some of the most simplistic things like speech. Told you had to catch up rather than remember. The more you thought about it the more messed up it seemed. You were only young and had unknowingly lost your entire life.

Eyes snapping back into focus as the warm cup in your hands starts to burn, you let out a small string of swears. Placing the hot beverage on the coffee table in front of you. Yet taking a moment after it had been placed down to gather your thoughts. Maybe it was time. Standing with purpose your feet move you over to your laptop, placed rather roughly on the unused section of your bed from the night before. And as you move to settle back in your living room you start searching.

At first it's for anything. Anything relating to the forest, even going past an article that briefly describes a young girl found near dead by the edge. You'd rather not read it, knowing from your doctor it only describes what you already know but with its publisher's twists and theories. But after an hour or so of searching you find an old image of an advert. Some sort of invitation to celebrate the lunar new year at the monastery? Your first thought was 'wow we have a monastery?' yet the second was confusion. As the way the writing loops and flows feels. Right.

Familiar.

Thus starting your subsearch into this monastery, mainly finding posts from teens and young adults saying the place was haunted. It seems like the place has been closed off for years, secluded up the mountain meaning there was no way for anyone to precisely pinpoint when it fell into disarray. You feel yourself getting more and more invested into the search as people theorise what happened, most agreeing the monk that lived there probably died of old age. Or that the thunderstorm struck the monastery and killed all inside.

Wait.

Thunderstorm? Loud crashing rings in your head as your eyes seem to see flashes of baby blue light. This was getting uncomfortable, your eyes tearing up as your nightmares flash before during the day. You can't help but push the laptop forward hearing it thud onto the floor and the immediate panic of breakage overtaking your fears.

Lurching forwards repeating "No,No,No." or "Please be okay." as you pick up the technological device checking every corner for breakage. The screen black but after a few button clicks, it glitches back on. Much to your relief.

Placing it beside you and flopping back, a shaky sigh escapes you. Overwhelmed by the past couple of minutes. Yet as your head turns, allowing your cheek to rest on the back of the sofa, your eyes fall upon the screen that seems to have switched to your previous tab. Pictures of the forest not too far fill the screen as whispers fill the space. Barely audible voices whispering to go to the trees. Find who you are. Trust your instincts.

Sun Wu Kong.

You startle upwards at that one. Whispers of your mind being a weirdly common experience, but that one. That was louder. It seemed the whispers conjoined into one to resonate louder and more clear. Maybe you were just tired. It had been an emotionally exhausting day, but. What if this was your only chance? What if it only felt right in this moment? What if you were just crazy?

What comes next?

Eyes widen as the words return full circle. Moments go by with no sound, movement or thought. Until you stifle a laugh. You really were going crazy. But sometimes it can be fun to run with it. Standing up your mind decides. You're going to the forest, you're going to find that monastery and you're going to get answers. Turning your laptop off, drinking your tea and messaging your boss that a family emergency came up. You pack a duffel bag, filling it with fresh clothes and snacks. Grabbing warm clothes ready for the snow you turn off your electricity and lock the door. Feeling free for one of the first times in the life you knew.

Moving through the streets, the sun past its apex you stop momentarily at the base of the mountain. Once again staring at the entryway. The breeze returns once more, as if it's beckoning you to move forwards. And you do. Clutching the locket and your heart you move forwards into the tree line and up...