Hold Me Tight, For I Am Unlovely

Chapter 24 : A Walk To remember, But Better yet Forgotten

Chapter 24 :
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"Lead by something, I was walking through the forest

Mysteriously, as if I were being drawn

I arrived at a little old cabin,

And was attracted by a clown sprawled out in the dust on the floor

He seemed so sad, but with a happy face he said "Take me with you to the mansion."

Tearfully I hugged him to me

I ascended the stairs, and found a glowing puppet of a young girl waiting for him."

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By now, my dress was streaked with soot, the once-pristine fabric now stained and heavy with grime. If I had bothered to look closely, I probably would've noticed the small tears fraying the edges of the luxurious material, the delicate embroidery coming undone with each step I took.

But like any truly sane person in my situation, I couldn't care less. My focus was far from the ruined state of my clothes, because right in front of me was something far more important- because I was literally trying to get inside the hole that I found despite my better judgement.

I crawled through the narrow hole, my knees and palms scraping against the rough ground, the motion stirring memories of old drills-those endless exercises I had practiced relentlessly, but without my body moving with the same practiced efficiency as it had back then.

Each breath I took was filled with the scent of damp earth, and the faint echo of distant sounds of birds that trickled from the other side.

The moment I squeezed through the final stretch, the air changed completely. It was fresher, cooler, and tinged with the scent of freedom-a stark contrast to the stifling halls I had just left behind. I exhaled slowly, a strange sense of exhilaration building inside me. I had just left the palace-unofficially, and for the first time in my life.

I quickly gathered myself up, 'giddy' was a feeling I haven't felt in a while.

I glanced down at the poorly made trail beneath my feet, the uneven dirt path barely accessible. It wound haphazardly through the underbrush, as though whoever had made it cared little for where it led or how treacherous it might be. As I stood there, adjusting to my new surroundings, I slowly lifted my gaze to survey the area.

The trees loomed ominously above my head, their twisted branches intertwining like a dark web, casting long shadows that danced eerily in the breeze. Despite their thick canopy and how closely they stood together, I found it fascinating that rays of sunlight still managed to break through, piercing the gloom in golden shafts that illuminated patches of the forest floor.

It was as if the light fought through the density just to grace the earth beneath with its warmth.

Not far from where I stood, a bird perched on a low branch, its beady eyes fixated on me with a curious intensity. Its feathers shimmered with hues of emerald and sapphire, and with every movement, they rippled like liquid, catching the light in a dazzling display.

After a few moments of silent observation, the bird ruffled its feathers, giving a soft chirp as if to bid me farewell, and with a sudden burst of energy, it took to the skies.

"How pretty," I murmured softly to myself, my voice barely audible over the quiet rustling of the trees. I began to walk where the path twisted deeper into the woods, the soft crunch of twigs and leaves underfoot echoing with each step I took.

With one last look towards the hole that I came out of, I didn't even think twice before I left the area.

I left towards the direction of the trail, and towards where the bird had flown to. The forest seemed to breathe, its ancient trees towering above, their branches forming a natural archway that led deeper into the wilderness.

The trail beneath my feet, the worn barely there path, gradually began to narrow, the soft moss and underbrush creeping in on both sides. Soon enough, I emerged into a clearing. The trees gave way to a small, open space bathed in the soft glow of the afternoon sun.

The trail that had guided me was now cut short, dissolving into the thick grass and shrubs that spread across the clearing, as though it had never existed at all.

I looked behind me trying to see if I could still make out the path from where I came from, and was relieved to see that it was still visible. This was an impulsive decision, but it doesn't mean that I wanted to get lost just because of 'an' impulsive decision.

I surveyed my surroundings, taking in the quiet beauty of the clearing. My legs ached from the long trek, the dull soreness a reminder of how far I had come. Deciding to rest, I made my way to the base of a nearby tree.

I was content with the peaceful surroundings. But my impulsive adventuring heart found it hard to continue moving when the absence of a clear path tugged at the back of my mind, leaving me uncertain and wondering if, should I lose my way, I would even find my way out again. In a forest that I am pretty sure is magical. And you know what they say about magical forests, it's either you get high, or you die.

I placed my hands on the ground, and took a deep breath.

"Hmm?" The only sound I managed to make was a confused murmur as my eyes flew open, jolted by a tremor that surged up from the ground beneath me, shooting from the tips of my fingers all the way through my shoulders. "Oh, fuck," I muttered, the words barely escaping as I scrambled to my feet, instinctively bolting away from the tree I'd been resting against.

Only moments later, the tree behind me groaned-a deep, ominous creak that echoed through the forest, accompanied by the thunderous crash of something massive slamming into it. Experience told me that when something hits hard, it recoils with equal force, and sure enough, the tree shudders, swaying as though it might snap from the impact.

I heard it before I saw it-the heavy, labored huffs and the steady, rhythmic thudding against the ground. The vibrations rattled through the earth, each thump growing louder, more intense, until a crack split through the base of the tree beside me.

Instinctively, I scrambled back, only to finally catch a glimpse of the creature causing the chaos. At first, it seemed like a boar, though something about it was disturbingly... off.

It moved like a boar, charged with the same blind fury, but its appearance was all wrong. Its tusks jutted out in wild, twisted directions, too many to count, and its body was oversized-swollen beyond any natural proportion, each muscle bulging beneath a hide tinted in an unnatural, sickly hue that was anything but appetizing.

I shuddered, realizing that if this beast fell, it wouldn't be a prize worth eating; it was a nightmare come to life.

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[Author's Note: So yes, the little quotes/paragraphs/sentences before the stories are little spoilers I'd love for y'all to think abt. Hihihi