After an accident, Imara, a 28-year-old plus-size black woman, ends up in a strange rainforest world from a bittersweet novel she read. This wild jungle is full of mysterious and dangerous beastmen, just like the stories she used to read.
To stay al...
I tucked a coil of my coarse, curly hair behind my ear as I drove the rental car up the winding mountain road toward the cabin. The thrill of the girls' trip had me buzzing with excitement. This was going to be my first log cabin adventure, and I was ready to make some memories. The Airbnb we rented looked gorgeous in the photos—practically begging us to relax and unwind. I glanced at the map on my phone, confirming I was almost there. The sharp scent of pine trees filled the air, and I smiled to myself. Nothing could ruin this.
Until the truck came.
It rounded the corner ahead, wobbling like it had a loose bolt or two. I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my heart giving a little leap of caution. Stay in your lane, buddy, I thought, bracing for the truck to pass. But just as it got close—POP. The tire shot off, and the truck veered uncontrollably toward me.
"Oh shit!" I gasped, yanking the wheel hard to avoid it. For a split second, I thought I'd make it. But the truck skidded, metal shrieking on the asphalt, and slammed into the side of my car.
The world spun, colors blending into a blur, then everything went black.
When I came to, I was lying on my side, dazed and disoriented. Groaning in pain as a sharp ache shot through my side. I sat up slowly, blinking against the bright sunlight filtering through a canopy of lush, towering trees. My head throbbed, and fragments of the accident flashed through my mind.
I let out another groan, wincing as I gingerly touched my rib area. Definitely a bruise, I thought, wincing at the sharp throb. As I moved my arm to check myself for any other wounds, a dull ache spread throughout my body—a constant reminder that something had gone terribly wrong. I noticed small scrapes along my skin, and twigs tangled in my hair, scratching at my scalp as I shifted. I brushed them away, my hands trembling.
I touched my arms and legs cautiously. Bruised, but nothing broken. My clothes were still intact, though dirty from the forest floor. No glass shards or heavy bleeding—just these scrapes and aches. At least I'm alive.
"What the hell?" I murmured, my pulse quickening as I looked around. Immense trees stretched in every direction, and the forest floor was thick with ferns and underbrush. It was beautiful—too beautiful—and far too vast. There was no sign of the wreck, the truck, or any emergency responders. How did I get here?
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I grabbed my book bag, relieved it beside me. Pulling out my phone, I saw it was fully charged, but there was no signal. Not even a single bar.
Think. Maybe I was thrown from the car somehow. I could be somewhere along the mountain, lost in these woods. That made sense, right? Maybe I just had to find a road or some help. Yeah, that's it. Just get back to the cabin or flag someone down. Easy.
After making up my mind, I ventured deeper into the forest. My nerves were on high alert. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves sent my heart racing. My muscles tensed, shot aches through me I ignored, my senses heightened as I scanned the forest, expecting danger at every turn.
