Into the forest

chapter 1?

As the sound of the car engine spluttered to a stop, I know we have arrived.

The residence sits in the middle of a clearing in the forest. It's 2 storeys tall, and the walls are made up of old wooden planks that are engulfed by moss and lichen. The sloping roof has bare patches where the tiles are missing.

I was just starting to study the veranda when I notice a lone figure slowly making their way towards the car. The slim frame of the person slanted towards us, waving their skinny arms. As they step into the light, I see a huge grin appear on their face.

I hear a door slam shut and realize that my little sister was already charging towards the person, waving just as franticly.

Another door slam tells me that my mother's also making her way over to the house. But just as she passed my side of the car, she turns and yanks on my door handle.

"Taylor! Get out here and greet your auntie! This instant!" she hisses at me, already trying to tug off my seatbelt.

I swat her hand away. "I can do it myself" I retorted. The cold metallic surface of the buckle sent a little tingle through my hand as my fingers brush against it.

I slowly haul myself out of the car and trudge wearily towards the veranda, passing my aunt. My mother calls to me, but I just ignore her. As I'm about to go up the stairs, a hand grips my shoulder, spinning me around the other way. I was greeted with the sight of my mother's furious face. She plasters a fake smile onto her lips and says "Taylor, why don't you say hello to your aunt? She's been looking forward to this visit". Her face remains expressionless, but I can see a little vein bulging in the side of her head.

I jerk out of her grip. "I didn't ask to be dragged all the way out here! Aunt Catharine could have lived without seeing me!" I exclaimed. "Just leave me alone!"

I push past her and set off into the forest. I want some space.

I wander through the under scrub for some time. It's like walking through a maze of never-ending mirrors; all the trees look the same. I know that if I don't leave a trail behind then I'm most likely going to get incredibly lost. So, as I walk, I drag my foot in the vegetation, leaving a little crevice in the ground.

The soft tendrils of ferns brush against my ankles as I walk by feels like being tickled with a feather. The air around me smells of rotting leaves and decay. The leaves seem to whisper as they brush against each other in the wind. Some escaped their perches and fall from the towering trees as if they are trying to warn me.

Just ahead I hear voices. I can't quite understand what they are saying from back here, so I head a little closer, in case it's my mum and aunt or something.

Being careful not to cause to much of a racket, I wind my way through the maze of trees.

As I draw closer, I notice that it isn't a conversation at all, but really an argument. Two voices snipping at one another, keeping their voices hushed so I still can't understand them.

I push past one last group of ferns, breaking into what looks like clearing but is really a kind of tunnel made out of the huge canopy of leaves and branches from the trees above twisting together. A rough path is visible through the tunnel. Gnarled roots are distorted all around the track, threatening to trip anyone who dare walk it's trail.

At the end of the tunnel is a soft golden light, spilling through the lush green grove ahead. But those aren't the same trees as the ones in the forest that I was in.

Finally, I notice that the sound of the voices has stopped.

I look up.

In the middle of the tunnel, looking as confused as I feel are two people with little pointed ears, in the strangest clothes I've ever seen.

And they're looking right at me.

authors note: 

sorry if its not that good. i haven't had time to write a book-thing, so i put in a story i once did in English