Chapter One: Echoes in the Forest

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A peculiar sensation jolted Hazel, an alien vibration resonating through her bones. She sat up, her senses sharpening, her green eyes snapping open. A resounding thwack reverberated within the tree trunk right behind her head. Hazel's copper hair cascaded over her shoulders as she glanced upward, noticing the pine needles above her trembling. For a brief, sun-drunk moment, she thought it was an earthquake. But within a few moments, she realized that the rhythmic chopping originated from the very tree she had been resting against.

Her heart raced as she peered down, her eyes locking onto the figure hacking away at the base of the trunk. Draped in a dark green coat, the figure's presence was out of place amidst the summer's warmth.

"Hold on!" Hazel's voice rang out, clinging to a hope that her call would halt the figure's actions. The axe-wielding figure paused, turning their head upwards as if acknowledging her presence. Despite facing her, their face remained veiled.

Hazel's eyes darted to the tree's trunk, where the axe had made a deep, wedge-shaped gash. The exposed wood pulp was sandy brown, rough, and splintered. Shards of bark lay scattered around the base. Unheeded, the figure resumed his task with renewed vigor, each strike of the axe sending a jolt of terror through Hazel. The tree now swayed under the assault. It groaned and creaked, mourning its impending fate.

"Stop!" Hazel's voice cracked with panic, her words a desperate plea. But they only seemed to fuel the assailant's determination. Hazel tossed her lunch aside, the homemade apple bread slipping from her lap. Its golden crust and melting butter were a fleeting dream that disappeared into the abyss below.

Scrambling to descend, Hazel's movements were frantic and uncoordinated. But time was a luxury she no longer possessed. The air was again filled with the deafening sound of splintering wood, a fitting soundtrack to her impending death. Birds scattered from their perches, their frantic wings beating against the sky in a series of alarmed cries. Leaves and pine needles rained like confetti at a grim celebration, obscuring Hazel's vision. The tree's mighty trunk cracked, reverberating through the woods like thunder. Her hands clawed desperately at branches, bark tearing away beneath her fingertips.

Time slowed briefly, agonizingly, as the tree reached its tipping point, teetering on the precipice of collapse. Then, with a deafening roar, it surrendered to gravity's relentless pull. Hazel's world tilted, a rush of adrenaline flooding her senses. Her stomach churned as the ground rushed to meet her, the massive Ponderosa Pine succumbing to its fate.

Hazel's reality blurred into a whirlwind of motion and noise as the colossal tree hurtled toward the ground. Her tightly shut eyes couldn't block the overwhelming sensation of freefall. Amid the turmoil, a familiar voice pierced the chaos, calling her name.

Hazel's body spasmed, jolting her out of the terrifying plunge. She sprawled erratically in her bed, drenched in sweat, her heart still pounding from the vivid dream. The lingering adrenaline coursing through her veins clashed with the creeping calm of awakening. Dawn's first light remained a distant promise on the horizon.

Blinking away the remnants of her dream, Hazel fought to shake off the sensations of crashing branches and the gut-wrenching drop. Her room lay still in the pre-dawn darkness, and she groaned softly into her pillow, pulling the comforting patchwork blanket closer.

"Lazybones," the voice from before teased, gentle yet insistent. A tall silhouette emerged from the shadows, a comforting and known presence in the half-light. The faint glow framed their figure, casting a soft halo around their features. "Come on, you have to get up, or we will be late."

Hazel remained still, her face nuzzled deeper into the welcoming embrace of her pillow.

"Come on, Haze," the voice urged once more.

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