The Forgotten

Chapter 1

The sound is strange to my ears. Loud and never ending. Then it stops. I am lifted up out of the dark box. The light seeps through a crack. I force my eyes open wider. The amount of light grows. The platform jolts and I let out a gasp of pain. Someone starts yelling and I try to cover my ears. My arms won’t move. I start twisting, trying to fight my way out of my restraints. The yelling increases in volume and someone places their hand on my check. I squirm away. The hand is then holding my face. Forcing me to stop thrashing. Something pinches in the crease of my elbow. That was the final thing for me. They were stabbing me with impure, unangelic things. I screamed. Whatever they were injecting into me had a high chance of destroying me. Satanic beings. I forced myself into a sitting position. The straps tore. The doctor tried to force me back down yelling something about broken spines. My tangled hair straightens itself out and started glowing. I swung my bare feet off the gurney. By the time they touched the floor they were clad in small, heeled sandals. I stand slowly, unsteady from lying down for so long. A long, feathered, white gown falls gracefully from my hips. One of the nurses reaches out to touch it. I sidestep and twist my hips, jumping onto the gurney. I close my eyes, hoping this crazy world is all a dream. A feather falls onto the floor. A black one. I twist my shoulders. Black wings. That’s different. I stretch them out, slowly, cupping the wind. I can see the forest that I fell into in the distance. Maybe there will be answers in the place I fell. I flap the black wings gently.

The flight took a matter of seconds. Finding the exact spot wasn't that hard either. A giant dent in the ground showing where I had fallen. I fold my wings back and crouch in the dent. So I did fall. A long way to cause a dent of this size. I sob. There can’t be a way back. My tears drip onto the ground, the water causing small flowers to bloom instantly. Angle tears. They do that. The leaves rustle behind me. I turn my head and jump up. My eyes seek through the bushes.

“Who’s out there?”

The branches part and a face peeks out. A familiar face. The only people I have seen in this strange world are the doctors and nurses from the hospital. Then it hits me. He’s the boy. That haunting face.

“You know that a white, feathered gown is not really sensible thing to wear in the forest, right?”

I shrink backwards.

“Hey it’s ok.” He reaches a hand out towards me.

I slowly sink into the ground until I am sitting down.

“You’ll get your dress dirty doing that.”

As he smiles my insides churn, but not in the usual unpleasant way. Another tear dips off my face. I quickly reach my hand out to catch it. His smile drops as he watches my tears fall.

“Hey, don't cry!”

He scurries towards me. He grabs my hand softly. He places a finger on my check catching the tears one by one.

“Can you stand up?”

I nod slowly and start to rise. He jumps to his feet and grabs my hands. He glances at my dress.

“How is that still clean? You were sitting in the dirt.”

“It doesn't get dirty.”

He smiles at me.

“ Do you live around here? Can I drive you home?”

“I live very far away from here.”

“You don't have to be so formal with me. I’m Skye. Skye Winters. I attend Iratan High. It’s the local school around here. I am nearly 18. In fact, I turn 18 next month.”

He laughs nervously at my lack of reaction. I laugh back. It was the tension. All of the nervous energy in the air.

“Thank you for helping me Skye Winters.”

“I told you no to be so formal.”

“I’m sorry. I didn't realize that it was rude.”

“It isn’t rude. It just isn’t normal for a girl your age.”

I looked at him in puzzlement.

“You are 17 aren’t you?”

“I don't know.”

“How can you not know how old you are?”

This time I laugh. The look of utter confusion on his face was just too funny. He smiled gently, looking kind of scared. I freeze. I didn't want to scare him.

“I’m sorry, Skye Winters.”

“That's ok. How about we start walking?”

He pulled my arm through a loop he made with his right arm. I blushed bright crimson, not sure what to make of this.

“Tell me about yourself.”

I stalled for a moment. Unsure of what to say.

“My name is… Isabelle. I am 17, as you said. I don't attend a school. I’m not even completely sure what that is. I don't know when I am turning 18.”

He stares at me. I blush again and let my hair fall over my shoulder to hide my face.

“Sorry. Your hair is really long and beautiful.”

“Thank you Skye.”

“You have to be the most formal person I know. Not even my parents are that formal.”

I hide deeper in my hair.

“I am sorry if I have offended you Miss Isabelle… what is your last name?”

“LaForest.”

“Miss Isabelle LaForest! That us a most gorgeous name.”

I refuse to answer, to scared of what will come out if I open my mouth. His sudden restart of the conversation makes me jump.

“You haven’t noticed the feathers yet?”

A brief panic attack.

“I hadn’t noticed at all. What colour are they?”

“Black. Dark black.”

The brief panic attack becomes a whole lot closer to a heart attack.

“Feathers.”

“Yes?”

My reply made him smile.

“Is that your nickname or something?”

“I guess it could be.”

He laughs.

“Feathers? I like that”

His car was your average pickup. Not the best thing in the world, but it runs. I guess out in a country town that was enough. As we drive out of the forest I notice the sign bearing it's name.

"Hey Skye?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Have you noticed what the forest is called?"

"Yeah, I live nearby so I come down here most days. It is pretty isn't it?"

"Yes. It most certainly is."

The sign fades into the distance even as I twist in the passengers seat to double check. There is no mistake though. The forest I fell into is named The Isabelle Forest.